Vienna
by Xx-Twitch-xX
Summary: Max and Fang were together... But that all changed when IT happened. IT will never leave either of their minds. Fang leaves, almost certain that he will never see her again. He couldn't be more wrong. Mang/Fax. All human.
1. Prologue

**I don't own Maximum Ride.**

_Prologue_

Fang rose from Max's car in silence. He silently opened the trunk, silently got his bags from the trunk of the dark blue Camry, and silently opened Max's door. She mumbled a thanks and he nodded curtly. It was too painful to look at her face. With all the pain she had put him through these past months; he feared he would ask her why she did it if he looked at her painfully beautiful face for too long.

Thunder rumbled, foreshadowing the rainstorm that the weatherman had predicted this morning. Fang hoped that Max would get home in time. She hated bad storms.

They walked in silence to the open-air platform, Fang not giving her the pleasure of seeing more than his profile. He set his suitcase down, just as the rain from the thunderheads pregnant with rain burst open and drenched the pair. Neither made a move to get out of the rain. Fang wanted to put his arm around Max and assure her shivering figure that the rain wouldn't hurt her. He was too hurt, himself, to do that, though.

Fang's train pulled in, and he fumbled with his ticket. He picked up his bags and was about to step onto the train when Max grabbed his elbow. She smiled at him.

"I guess we should say goodbye," she said, avoiding his eyes.

Fang smiled sadly at his first love. "I guess so."

"I…" Max trailed off as she stared at him, tears welling up in her beautiful brown eyes. She hugged him and he stiffened awkwardly.

The hurt in Fang's eyes was obvious to the passerby. "I wish I wouldn't go, too. I feel like…" he motioned between the two of them, "this isn't going to work anymore… We're too… I don't know… Maybe in a while, we'll meet up again and straighten this whole thing out. When honesty is _everyone's_ friend, and no one's enemy." Fang kissed his first love on the mouth, and he was almost convinced to stay. But that was impossible. Not after this whole thing. He knew it was a misunderstanding; he was _sure_ that Max loved him. But he also knew that he wasn't good for her. Dylan was. And that's why he had to leave.

He pulled away and didn't look at Max as he grabbed his bags and stepped onto the train, handing his suitcase to the luggage person standing at the door.

"I love you!" Max called as he stepped into the car with his laptop bag and his heart clenched. He wanted to call back that he loved her, too. He wanted to get off this damn train and go back to Max, however impossible it was with this situation.

This was his entire fault. If he hadn't been so… trusting of Dylan… If only he'd trusted Max… But he'd _seen_ Max and Dylan… The train pulled out of the station and it was too late to go back. He watched as Max drifted out of his line of sight. He watched the wet scenery blur by sadly.

He shuddered in his seat next to some teenage girl. She was probably seventeen or eighteen. She glanced over at him and smiled, brushing back her long black hair. Fang rolled his eyes, took out his iPod touch, and put in his headphones, listening to the first song that came on. (_Vienna _[hints the name] by The Fray)

_The day's last one-way  
Ticket train pulls in.  
We smile for the casual  
Closure capturing.  
There goes the downpour.  
Here goes my fair thee well._

_There's really no way to reach me.  
'Cause I'm already gone._

_Only so many words  
that we can say.  
Spoken upon  
Long-distance melody.  
This is my hello.  
This is my goodness._

_There's really no way to reach me,  
'Cause I'm already gone._

_Maybe in five or ten  
yours and mine will meet again  
Straighten this whole thing out.  
Maybe then honesty need  
not be feared as a friend or an enemy.  
This is the distance,  
and this is my game face._

_There's really no way to reach me,  
'Cause I'm already gone._

_So this is your maverick.  
This is Vienna._

* * *

**Blah blah blah I was a dumb 14 year old. Whatever.**


	2. Chapter 1

**I don't own Maximum Ride.**

**You wanna know when I'm writing? Follow me on Twitter. www . twitter . c o m/ kels_la**

Fang stepped out of the train and looked around him. Vienna, Virginia was a lot colder than Medina, Texas, that was for sure. He found his way to a small convenience store and bought a map. He'd already secured a job here, along with a small condo, but he didn't know where it was.

The town was medium sized, so he was able to walk to his condo in about twenty minutes; still, he would need a car when he started working on Monday. All his things had been shipped out here last week, so all he had to do was unpack the few boxes.

He tackled the job of unpacking after he'd located the stereo and turned it on. Unfortunately for him, or rather, the contents of the cardboard boxes, the first box he opened was the one containing all the pictures of Max and himself.

He felt the anger raising in him, but he forced it down. He carefully picked up the pictures and set them on the dresser in his room. He turned the ones of Max away from his line of sight.

* * *

_Flashback_

"_I swear, Fang, I don't know what the hell that was!" Max shouted at him; her face was red with irritation._

_Fang sighed, angrier that she was denying what he _saw_. "It really looked like you and Dylan were getting into it, Max," Fang spat her name, glaring at her._

"_Fang, I swear, I don't know what he was doing!" Fang recognized that pleading tone in her voice; it had become quite common lately. All these stories that he _knew_ weren't true. Fang found himself trusting Dylan way more than Max these days… He was right about Max liking him, why wouldn't he be right about Max liking Dylan, as much as it hurt to think that._

_End flashback_

Fang shook his head to rid himself of the memories; he couldn't believe that he _trusted_ that son of a bitch, Dylan, more than Max. Max was his _girlfriend_ and he _loved_ her. This was all his fault. If only he'd listened to Max…

* * *

Max drove back to her apartment in silence. She didn't dare turn the radio on, for fear that a song she and Fang used to love would play. She didn't want to start crying again as she drove home.

The thunder boomed again and she shuddered, letting out a small, very embarrassing, squeak. Thank God no one was there to hear that. Fang would've laughed at her; that was something she wasn't going to miss about him. The things that she would miss outweighed the opposites, though.

She missed Fang's warmth as she lie in bed that night; he would always keep an arm around her and keep her safe in the midst of storms… The recent emotional storm was a counter-example to that, though.

* * *

Fang woke at midnight, tortured by dreams about Max and Dylan making out in front of him. He yelled at them a few times, trying to get them to stop, but they weren't listening. He forced himself to wake up.

Shivering, he threw back his covers and pulled on some jeans and a hoodie. He grabbed the keys to his piece of crap car and his iPod, heading out his door and driving onto the interstate. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he needed to get Max off his mind.

Beginning to get angry again, he punched the radio button and pinched the bridge of his nose. He tried to change the station, but the radio was defective and was stuck on the local lite rock station. He smiled as music that he didn't know came on. It was soothing to listen to something when he didn't know what was going to happen next. Fang was always one for the unexpected, unlike Max.

The radio blared and Fang clutched the steering wheel tighter as the lyrics to the song hit home. ("Alright" by Hot Chelle Rae)

"_I took a drive in the middle of the night,  
The first time I've done that without you_

_By my side.  
And our song was playing on the radio,  
It seems to follow me everywhere I go,  
Where I go._

_So would you  
Come back in the middle of the night,  
And tell me everything is gonna be alright  
It's alright, it's alright._

_Without you here,  
Everything is grey.  
The color faded  
When you packed your bags,  
And you drove away.  
It's hard to act like everything's the same.  
The closest I can get to you is in this frame.  
I wanna hear you say…_

_That you will  
Come back in the middle of the night,  
And tell me everything is gonna be alright  
It's alright, it's alright.  
Face to face while the stars are burning bright,  
And tell me everything is gonna be alright  
It's alright, it's alright._

_It's alright, it's alright, it's alright._

_In the dark you come to life,  
The memories of you and I.  
I wanna keep you here with me,  
Don't wake me up, just let me dream._

_Come back in the middle of the night,  
And tell me everything is gonna be alright  
It's alright, it's alright.  
Face to face while the stars are burning bright,  
And tell me everything is gonna be alright  
It's alright, it's alright._

_It's alright, it's alright.  
It'll never be alright without you."_

As the song went off, Fang realized how much he missed Max. He wanted her back… no matter how badly she hated him, or how bad he was for her. He needed her more than she knew, more than he ever knew…

* * *

**And there we go. Tell me what you think.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey there. This chapter… will be longer. Promise.**

**I don't own Maximum Ride.**

**

* * *

**

_Fang_

"High knees, everybody, high knees," Fang yelled to his first period gym class. The poor freshmen groaned and ran across the small gym, running so their knees reached their chests.

Fang wasn't one for kids; one could say that he despised them, but these high school students weren't so bad. They listened to him, even though it was only his second week at this school. He wasn't a teacher back in Medina; he was certified, but he preferred to teach kids that wanted to be in his classes, so he taught at a karate place. Now, though, he could only find a job as the gym teacher at this high school. At least the students seemed to like him. Especially the girls, but that was so messed up, it wasn't even funny.

Fang clapped his hands, stopping the students from doing their warm up. "Alright, like I said Friday, we're starting soccer this week; I assume you all know how to play?" Most of the kids stared at him with blank looks, but one boy nodded eagerly; he received odd looks from the other moody teenagers. Fang smirked, "Okay, we have one apt person. I could give you all zeros for today, or you could show some enthusiasm and act like you _want_ to play soccer." That woke them up, they all nodded and Fang divided the students into teams. He designated the goals and left the teams to pick goalies, centers, sweepers, and strikers. When they were ready, he set a ball in the middle of the court and blew his whistle. He stood back and watched them stumble over their own feet and fight over the ball. See, the _real_ reason he was doing this was because he was now the soccer coach, seeing as he'd been invited to play professionally. He'd turned it down to stay with… Max. Anyway, he needed to scout out the good players.

There was one short boy with dark hair (Fang was almost positive his name was Austin); he rather reminded Fang of himself; he was pretty good, but he was impolite in his playing. He shoved the delicate girls out of the way, but it was only when they needed to get out of his way. Fang suspected that he would be a good player if the others on the field knew what they were doing.

Fang turned when he heard the door to the gym open; he saw the principal of the school approaching him and he smiled slightly. The principal, his name was Dr. Hoopes, nodded when he saw the kids playing soccer.

"Scouting out possible players, Ride?" Fang cringed at the use of his last name, but he knew Dr. Hoopes meant it jokingly.

"Yes, sir. Tryouts for girls' and boys' soccer are next week, and I need a basic idea of what I'm working with." It was spring, soccer season; Fang had come in during the middle of the year because the other gym teacher was fired for… suspicious activities.

"Well, it's a good idea, Ride. That one there," Dr. Hoopes pointed to the black-haired boy Fang had noticed earlier, "is Austin Caul; he's at the top of his class, involved in clubs, _and_ he was the MVP soccer player for his team last year. You have to watch out for him, though. He's a bit too… friendly with the ladies."

Fang chuckled. "I'll be sure to keep an eye on him." Fang scanned the gym and noticed two girls lounging in a corner, idly watching the game. He clapped his hands at them. "Oi! Hannah and Karly, actually get _involved_ in the game or I'll give you a zero for participation today!" The girls looked at him in his tight muscle shirt and giggled, then got off the wall and ran towards the ball, getting effectively pushed out of the way by Austin. Fang turned to Dr. Hoopes, "I swear, if he pushes _one more girl_ over…"

Dr. Hoopes patted Fang's shoulder, laughing. "I'll leave you to it, Ride." And he left.

Fang kept a close eye on Austin, who was quick to shove a girl that was easily two feet taller than him out of the way while chasing after the ball. She fell over and glared after him hatefully. "Hey, Mr. Caul! Come here!" Fang yelled, struggling to be heard across the gym. Austin turned and jogged over to Fang, smiling up at him and breathing heavily.

"Yeah, Coach Ride?" He pushed some of his hair out of his face, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"I don't wanna see you pushing any more girls, or guys, for that matter, out of your way. That's _not_ the kind of behavior I expect to see out of potential soccer players. If I see you do it again, I'm making you sit out and giving you half credit for today." Fang gave Austin a disappointed look and sent him back into the game.

Fang was pleased when he didn't see Austin push over any more girls.

* * *

Fang was exhausted. Who knew that teaching just five physical classes a day could take so much out of you? Fang greatly enjoyed his study hall, personal finance, and planning periods. Study hall was silent and he didn't have to do anything but make sure that no one up and left. Personal finance was a joke; a graduating requirement for seniors. All they talked about was budgeting money; a skill that all already had. Planning was his time to 'plan for future classes'. Fang laughed at the idea; he was a gym teacher, he could do whatever he pleased and no one could tell him otherwise.

Normally, Fang would look forward to going home because Max would be there and they would work on dinner together or talk about their days. That was a pleasure Fang was sure he'd never know again.

See, Max wasn't married to him, but they'd lived together for almost two years. Fang was planning on proposing to her on her birthday, but all of… everything had happened. Fang remembered with pain.

Dylan was Max's best friend, even before Fang met Max. Fang and Dylan were okay friends, but Dylan had ulterior motives; Fang couldn't believe that he never saw it coming… Dylan started to hint that maybe Max liked Fang, so Fang asked her out and they'd been going out since. That was three years before everything had happened. They were all in their last year of college when Max moved into Fang's apartment.

That was when Dylan started to spin his web around Max and Fang. He gained Fang's trust, taking his time with it all. And then the stories started. 'Max' would text Fang and say she wanted to meet somewhere, but then she wouldn't be there. Max reported the same thing happening; she would get a text from 'Fang' saying that he wanted to go somewhere, but no one was ever there. They never figured out what was going on, but they ended up not trusting the texts and calling each other for everything. That was when Max claimed to start calling Fang, but he never got the calls. Fang would then call Max, but she would never pick up; she claimed to never get the calls either.

After that came the claims from Dylan that Max was cheating on him; he even fabricated pictures of Max with various guys, kissing and what not. Fang didn't know why he believed the obviously photo-shopped pictures. This resulted in major trust issues between Max and Fang; Dylan was apparently telling Max that Fang was cheating on her with some red-haired girl. Of course, Fang didn't know this until he beat the shit out of Dylan about two weeks ago, just before Fang left.

Dylan started to tell Fang that Max didn't love him anymore; that she loved Dylan. Fang was too emotionally compromised to believe otherwise. Everything else Dylan said was true, why wouldn't this? With a pained heart, Fang began to believe that Dylan was better for Max than he.

Finally came the Incident. Fang walked in on Max and Dylan making out. Fang was crushed.

And then, the truth came out. Max still didn't know what happened, really. She was still believing the watered down version Fang came up with; it consisted of Dylan not being _all_ that bad, and Fang being completely at fault. Fang couldn't _believe_ that he trusted Dylan more than his own _girlfriend_. Fang thought about it for a while and realized then that he wasn't good for Max. He lacked discernment, and that was what led to this. He needed to get away from Max for a while.

And that was when he moved to Vienna, to get away from it all. That was Fang, always the one to run away when things got tough.

* * *

_Max- A year after Fang left._

Max grinned like an idiot at Dylan. He was so nice, so much more… she didn't know, but he helped her get over Fang. Dylan didn't seem to like Fang, he was always dissing Max's ex-boyfriend, saying how he was a wimp for leaving her like that and not even trying to work it out. Max made it clear that she didn't want to hear him speak of Fang like that; Dylan was quick to stop.

Now, though, Max was with Dylan, and he was sweet. Her skin didn't tingle the way it did with Fang, but she was happy. Their relationship wasn't as… fiery as her one with Fang, but it was stable, definitely stable, and that's what Max liked. Stability.

Max and Dylan had moved out of Medina, Texas, to Normal, Illinois, where they'd bought an apartment together.

"So, what do you wanna do today, babe?" Dylan asked. Max cringed, she didn't like to hear Dylan call her that. It was only okay coming from Fang's mouth…

Max shook her head and fixed her make-up. She was _over_ Fang. "I have work, Dylan."

"Oh, right." Dylan was lazy, and didn't want to get a job. Max found it annoying to no end. "Can't you take today off?"

Max sighed. "Dylan, I took yesterday and the day before that off, I can't today." She worked for an online magazine as a reporter on whatever she pleased, and she needed to show her latest piece to the editor. "I have something important to do today."

Dylan huffed. "Fine… I guess I'll see you when you get back home."

Max sighed and left, grabbing her laptop, purse, and keys on the way out. She'd hate to think it, but she missed the craziness of her relationship with Fang. It was so… exciting, like a roller coaster, but she was blindfolded and couldn't see what was coming next. She loved the turns their conversations would take; though most ended in a hot-and-heavy make-out session. Max sighed and tried to forget his face, she knew it was futile.

* * *

_Fang- One year after he left. He's been in Vienna for a year._

"No, Lissa, I really do _not_ want to go out this Friday," Fang said blandly to the phone.

She huffed on the other line. "Fine, Nick. I guess I'll see you at work—"

"I'm definitely sick, Lissa, I'm not coming to work tomorrow." Fang coughed violently to prove his point.

He could almost _hear_ Lissa pouting on the other line. "Fine." And then she hung up.

Fang turned to his German Sheppard, Broc, and grinned. "That takes care of that, huh boy?" The dog growled at Fang affectionately and he chuckled, scratching behind its ears. "You wanna go for a walk?" Fang stood and pulled on a black muscle shirt; he'd been lounging about without a shirt on. He grabbed Broc's leash and clipped it onto his dog's collar. "Let's go."

Walking in the crisp March weather of Vienna, Virginia, oddly brought thoughts of Max back into his head. He missed her like crazy. He couldn't remember a day that went by without a thought of her crossing his mind. It didn't help that there were at least five Maxes in his classes this year. He felt terrible; he couldn't even remember what her face looked like, now. Why were the people he loved the most the easiest to forget? Fang couldn't answer his own question.

Fang's friends at James K. Polk High School (i.e. Mr. Collins (a.k.a Iggy) the Chemistry teacher and Mr. Enid (a.k.a Gazzy) the American History teacher) told Fang that if he really loved something, then he should let it go; if it comes back, then it's his. Well, he definitely let Max go. She was probably with Dylan now. Maybe they were getting married. Fang shuddered at the thought and took out his iPod to block out those thoughts.

He started jogging through the park he reached; he didn't want to get stopped by some girl wanting to ask him out or pet his dog. Obviously, his iPod didn't want him to have a good, mind clearing jog, because a slow song by The Fray (who he happened to _love_) came on. Fang tried to block the lyrics because he knew this song was _just _what he was thinking about. It didn't work.

("Happiness" by The Fray)

"_Happiness is just outside my window,  
I thought it crashed blowin' eighty miles an hour.  
Is it happiness or a little more like knockin'  
On your door, and you just let it in?_

_Happiness feels a lot like sorrow,_

_Let it be, you can't make it come or go.  
But you are gone- not for good, but for now.  
Gone for now feels a lot like gone for good._

_Happiness is a firecracker sittin' on my headboard.  
Happiness does never mend a hole.  
Well, careful child, light the fuse and get away,  
'Cause happiness throws a shower of sparks._

_Happiness damn near destroys you,  
Breaks your faith to pieces on the floor.  
So you tell yourself, 'That's enough for now.'  
Happiness has a violent roar._

_Happiness is like the old man told me,  
Look for it, but you'll never find it all.  
But let it go, live your life and leave it.  
Then, one day, you'll wake up and she'll be home.  
Home, home, home."_

Fang found himself relating with the song as it played. He was terrified to find tears welling up in his eyes when he realized that Max would probably _never_ be home… He sure hoped he was wrong about that.

* * *

**Wow… a chapter a day. I never write this fast. If you can't tell, Fang quite likes The Fray.**

**I've decided to do a song for every chapter… You really **_**should**_** follow me on Twitter. You get to know the following things: What song is going to be featured in the next chapter of **_**Vienna**_**. Possible mini spoilers for **_**Vienna**_** as well as **_**Moving On, Floating Laptops?, **_**and **_**On the Wing **_**if you keep up with any of those stories of mine. When I'm writing. When I have too much homework to write. What's going on in my personal life (e.g. drama with friends that might find it's way into my writing) My profile name is kels_la.**

**So… REVIEW.**


	4. Chapter 3

**I feel the need to advertize for Miss Foster for fear of being killed…**

**So go check out Aquapolartop's story, **_**Here and There.**_** It's Maximum Ride, and it's Iggy/OC. Go read it before she kills me. Go. Do it NOW.**

**Anyway, I don't own Maximum Ride.**

* * *

_Max- five years after Fang left. I know, big time jump._

_Has it really been five years?_ Max wondered to herself, _Five years since Fang left… and four years since I began dating Dylan..._

Max was watching Dylan with trepidation, now. He'd been hinting at marriage, and Max knew she didn't want to marry him. Yes, she loved Dylan; he was an amazing person, but Max felt that they would never be happy if they married. She felt she wouldn't have the heart to tell him no if he asked.

Max always imagined herself walking down the aisle _with_ Dylan, not _to_ him. In her daydreams, it was always Fang in a black suit waiting for her with a huge grin. It was never Dylan. In her mind, _Max and Fang_ sounded so much better than _Max and Dylan._ And _Maximum Ride_ compared to _Maximum Jones_? Maximum Ride sounded so much better. Despite all that, she knew that she'd never get Fang back… Might as well take what she could get…

Anyway, in other news, Max was writing an article about the physical education system of America. Intriguing, right? She knew. It was an article her editor was _forcing_ her to write.

She decided, since she knew Fang was a physical education teacher in Virginia, that she would do her report on him. Time for a little stalking.

The following is what she learned about Fang:

-He was the soccer coach. (Typical.)  
-Girls that wrote the school newspaper were obsessed with his looks. (Just like every other girl in the nation.)  
-He had a German Sheppard Dog named Broc. (That was Fang, alright.)  
-He was still as amazingly hot as when he left. (…great. Just what she needed.)  
-He made friends. (That was good.)

_Oh the joys of high school newspapers._

_Fang- Don't say that 'I don't know what I'm talking about when I talk about Southern colloquialisms.' Because I _do_ know what I'm talking about. I live in the South, but I'm from the Northeast… as in, Pennsylvania. I'm a damn Yankee and a Southerner. It's crazy. I love making fun of the region of the US that I come from… We Yankees are so damn annoying, it's great. And the Southerners are _so_ annoying as well…_

"Guys, you know I don't date," Fang said, eyeing his friends, Iggy and Gazzy, closely. They were all eating lunch; normal right? They were eating it next to a group of students, on the floor outside the gymnasium. It was earning them _many_ odd looks. But they didn't care.

"Yeah, because you're _still_ not over Max," Gazzy said, rolling his eyes.

"It was five _years_ ago, man. You need to get over her, Fang. At least _try_ a date with her." Iggy added in his scheming way.

Fang shook his head and smiled slightly at the duo. "Y'all know that I tried dating once. It didn't turn out so well." Fang remembered the day he _finally_ agreed to take Lissa to dinner. It had to be the worst mistake of his life. No, _leaving Max _was the worst mistake; going out with Lissa was the second. All she did was stare at him and grin that ugly grin like she was _trying_ to drive him away.

"Man, you still say 'y'all'?" Gazzy teased, "You need to pay attention to how we talk up here! Y'aren't in Texas no more," he went on in a perfect imitation of Fang's thick Southern drawl from when he first moved here. It was getting better from living so long in Virginia, but it wasn't going away, no matter how hard Fang tried.

Fang rolled his black eyes, "Shut up, Gaz. It ain't _that_ bad. An' it's not like I'm gonna go 'round saying 'radiator' **(That's pronounced with a long 'a' in the 'ra' part. Like the 'a' in 'rat'. It's a northern thing…)** or 'crick' 'stead of 'creek'. Y'all talk weird up here." Fang noted that his accent became more pronounced when he was thinking about it.

Iggy laughed and took a final bite of his sandwich. "You sound _so_ weird when you talk like that, Fang." Gazzy nodded his agreement and laughed with Iggy.

Fang, once again, rolled his eyes. "I'm sure I don' sound _that_ weird. It ain't like I go 'round sayin' 'bless her heart' or singin' Alan Jackson music about 'way down yonder on the Chattahoochee.'" Fang chuckled at his own purposeful imitation of a stereotypical Southern person; his friends laughed with him. Sure, the comment earned him an odd look from a student in his next period class, but Fang though it was worth the look on her face.

"You mean… there's actually _music_ about something 'way down yonder on the Chattahoochee'?" Gazzy asked doubtfully and Fang half-grinned.

"'Course there is, Gaz." Fang proceeded to do a bad imitation of the Alan Jackson song, earning hoots and hollers from the seniors sitting in the group near the teachers.

"I still don't believe you…"

* * *

The picture was the first thing Fang saw when he woke every morning. Max. _His_ Max, grinning at the camera.

Yes, he _still_ had a picture of her. Yes, he kept it on his bedside table. Yes, he still called her _his_, as if she still belonged to him. Which she did, of course.

Fang knew that he was messed up in the head; it really _wasn't_ healthy for him to _still_ miss Max. However, he was almost positive Max thought about him from time to time. He chuckled to himself, remembering lyrics to a song, but he couldn't quite think of the name; he knew it was by Relient K, though, _'Cause I'm here wondering what could you be thinking/ Though I know you're there thinking that I wonder that all the time/ I can still invade your thoughts when you're not with me/ Yeah don't mind me I'm just a parasite on your mind/ Yeah don't mind me I know you're wondering all the time._ Those fit perfectly with his situation. He _knew_ he invaded Max's thoughts, even though he wasn't with her anymore.

Thoughts of Max were still as common as they were when he first left; they showed themselves in everything Fang did. He found a way to twist everything around to Max. Even fluorescent lights had a connection to Max (She once claimed to be allergic to them so she wouldn't have to go to the doctor). Gosh, he was like a _Twilight_ obsessed teen; they brought everything back to _Twilight_, he brought everything back to Max.

Of course, when thoughts of Max popped up, so did thoughts of Dylan. Hateful thoughts of Dylan. _Very_ hateful thoughts. Fang used to blame Dylan for the whole mess. It used to be _Dylan's_ fault that he left. _Dylan's_ fault that Max didn't trust Fang, and vice versa. His rude awakening had come when he started to complain about it to Iggy, who'd retold the story in Max and Dylan's perspective. That was how he realized it was _his_ fault. Yeah, he'd said before that it was his doing; trusting Dylan more than Max and all that, but in the back of his mind, he still blamed Dylan; but now? Now he saw how stupid he'd been. He was scared of losing Max, of hurting her, so he just went with what Dylan said. God, he'd been so _stupid._

Fang turned the television on, trying to drown out the thoughts of Max. Of course, Fang's life was becoming a huge cliché, so one of those medical dramas was on, and the main character was leaving his girlfriend because of some big deal that involved the male being guilty of all of it.

_How ironic,_ Fang thought as a song began to play. He recognized it as "There Was No Thief" by Relient K.

_For a time I thought there was a thief among us.  
I thought I'd track him down, but prior to my pursuit  
The smoke had cleared and to my disbelief  
There was no thief, 'cause it was me  
That lost you.  
There was no thief, 'cause it was me  
That lost you._

_I guess it's safe to say you're never coming back (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)  
And I understand why you wouldn't want to. (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)  
I guess it's up to me to find a way to get to you._

_And there's just one last thing that I have to say  
As we reflect on the mess of all this I've made  
It was cowardice that made me push you away  
I was so afraid 'cause you were so much better than me._

_And I can't see you  
Getting used to  
Living in the midst of your perfection.  
And I'm so lost  
How can you trust  
Somewhere the sun is always shining?_

_And there's just one last thing that I have to say  
As we reflect on the mess of all this I've made  
It was cowardice that made me push you away  
I was so afraid 'cause you were so much better than me._

_I guess it's safe to say you're never coming back._

_Ring, ring, ring._ Fang set his pencil down; he was writing the final exam for his Personal Finance class, and was grateful for the break.

"Hello?" He asked, petting Broc's head affectionately.

"Yes, is this Nicholas Ride?" A very official sounding woman asked.

"It is, may I ask to whom I'm speaking?" Fang ran his long fingers through his shaggy hair; he needed to get it cut.

"My name is Jane Ackwell and I'm calling from Normal High School in Normal, Illinois. Do you have a minute?"

Fang grabbed a notepad and a pen, ready to take notes. "Of course, Ms. Ackwell."

"Alright," she began, "I understand that you're a physical education teacher at a high school in Vienna, Virginia?" She posed it as a question, waiting for Fang's response.

"Yes, ma'am, I am."

"It's come to my attention that they're hiring another physical education teacher for the next school year, resulting in a dramatic decrease in your salary."

Fang nodded, but then realized she couldn't see it. "Yes ma'am, they are. Why do you ask?"

"Well, Mr. Ride, the administration here at Normal High School were wondering if we could offer you a job as the soccer coach and teacher for all physical education and wellness classes here. You would be paid significantly more and you would have more breaks, seeing as we're on a year-round schedule here in Illinois."

Fang stared thoughtfully out the window in his kitchen. "Isn't that a lot of classes to teach? I mean, I'd be happy to work for y'all, but isn't being the soccer coach, PE teacher, _and_ Wellness teacher a bit much?"

"Not at Normal, Mr. Ride! We have just under 600 students here, and you would only be teaching about 150 at a time. We have our PE and Wellness classes divided by semesters."

"I suppose I'll think about it, Ms. Ackwell. When do I need to get back to you?" Fang readied himself to write down information.

"If you could contact me at 309-555-3725 by the end of next week, it would be wonderful, Mr. Ride. Any questions?"

Fang wrote the phone number down quickly and circled it. "I do, actually. How did y'all get my contact information? Did you see me in a magazine or what?"

"Actually, a local magazine had an article in it about you, I believe."

Fang furrowed his brow and jotted down to look up magazines published in Normal, Illinois. "Do you know what the magazine is called?"

"I do believe it's called _The Normal Post, _Mr. Ride. I look forward to receiving your reply next week."

"Of course, Ms. Ackwell, I'll talk to you soon. Bye." Fang hung up the phone and walked to his laptop, opening up Google and searching for the magazine. He clicked the link to it and found the article. It read, _"Physical Education in America" by Max Martinez._

Max lived in Normal, Illinois? Better yet, she wrote an article about him? He eagerly clicked the link and read the article. When he reached the end, he laughed aloud, stretching his arms above his head, popping his back.

He was _so_ taking that job.

* * *

**And there we go. Did you guys like this chapter? Kelsey feels it's a very *gasp* chapter. Hehe.**

**Again. Go read Aquapolartop's story, **_**Here and There**_**. I've already sealed my fate (I'm going to die), but you can still save yourselves! GO READ IT NOW BEFORE SHE KILLS ALL OF YOU. (If anyone reads/watches Full Metal Alchemist, she also has a story for that.)**

**REVIEW.**

Also, if anyone wants a shout-out next chapter, he/she should tell me the name of the Relient K song I used in this chapter. _Not_ "There Was No Thief". The one where Fang remembered some of the lyrics? Yeah, that one.

* * *


	5. Chapter 4

**Kelsey here at 1:37 in the morning with shout-outs! For guessing, "If You Believe Me" by Relient K correctly, shout outs to: Zezemi, Keeptappin92,** **HicksyPixie with angel wings x,**** and Lydia 765.**

**It's like I'm not myself! I never update this quickly!**

**To anonymous reviewer Mwa:** 'FAXXYNESS' will be here soon. As for the 'less music' comment, there _will_ be a song every chapter. Deal with it.

**And to my FAVORITE reviewer, CrazyNerdyFangirl: ***giggles maniacally* I told you to expect an update soon! *sways back and forth* I just took that medicine I told you about. There's a slight possibility that this chapter will reflect just how out of it I am… You went to sleep at midnight… I went to sleep at two in the morning… *flaunts the fact that she doesn't have school*

**I don't own Maximum Ride.

* * *

**

_Fang_

Fang thanked his cab driver and handed him a twenty, not caring to get his change. He took his bags from the trunk and stepped up to his new apartment-thing in Normal, Illinois, holding Broc's leash tightly; that dog was _sure_ to pull his arm off one of these days. _Yes,_ he took that job. _Yes,_ Iggy and Gazzy were pissed; they'd get over it eventually. _No,_ he wasn't going to hunt down Max. He knew he wasn't ready to see her quite yet.

As was the case when he moved to Vienna, the movers had already moved Fang's things in. All Fang had to do was get settled in for the start of school next month.

This time, the pictures of Max _stayed_ in the boxes. They would stay there until Fang decided his feelings for Max. He wasn't sure if they were there anymore…

To be completely honest, the thought of possibly running into Max didn't give Fang butterflies. It didn't make his stomach churn with anticipation. He just thought about it casually; as if it were just a casual outing with a friend. Which it would be, if he ever saw Max again. He wasn't _really_ in love with her anymore.

Fang let himself and Broc into the apartment-thing and unclipped the dog from his leash, letting him roam the house that would be his new home. Fang sighed and rolled his shoulders, trying to work the kinks out of his muscles. He'd sat in that plane for _way too_ long.

Fang sighed yet again as he began the slow task of unpacking…

* * *

_Max_

Max sighed as she flipped the page in her book, shifting unconsciously and tucking her hair behind her ears. She re-situated herself in the uncomfortable chair at the café and took a sip of her latte. _They need to get better chairs,_ Max thought as she turned her attention back to her book.

Her attention didn't stay on the book for long, though. A tall, dark haired man of around 29 or 30 walked to the outdoor section of the café, taking a seat at a table not far from her own. He looked vaguely familiar, but Max couldn't quite place where she'd seen him. Maybe she interviewed him for a report? No, that didn't seem right…

The man seemed to feel Max's gaze on him, because he looked up suddenly and met her eyes. He said one thing with his look. _Max._

_Fang.

* * *

_

_Fang_

Fang locked eyes with the woman reading the book, and realization dawned on him. _Max _was the first thing that crossed his mind, closely followed by _Oh shit._ He rose from his chair silently and strode to her table, sitting down and placing his coffee on the table in one fluid motion. She set her book down and stared at him, her wide brown eyes bringing back memories that Fang delved into eagerly.

"Fancy seeing you here," Fang said quietly, breaking eye contact.

Max sipped from her latte silently and studied him. "When did you move here?"

He shrugged. "'Bout a week ago." He drummed his fingers on his leg and looked everywhere but Max. She was bringing up memories that were convincing him of his love for her; it still hadn't gone away.

"Why?" She asked, bringing him out of his thought process.

"Got a job at the local high school." Again, he shrugged and stared at the table. It was unlike him to be so nervous, but this was _Max_. The Max that he loved. The Max that ripped all the feelings out of him and stomped on them. The Max that he was trying to convince himself he wasn't in love with anymore.

"I thought you had a good job in Virginia," she said. He could tell that she was staring at him.

"They saw some article about me that some girl wrote… Did you see it?" Fang asked sarcastically and looked up at her, grinning. He knew she was blushing.

"So how have you been, Fang?" Max asked, smiling at him.

He nodded. "I've been alright."

"Are you… married?" She asked, looking at his hands.

He showed her his left hand. "No. I'm not dating anyone either."

"Oh." She swallowed hard and looked back up to him. "I-I'm dating Dylan."

Fang froze. He _knew_ it. He _knew_ something like this would happen to him. "How's that goin' for ya?" He asked with the tiniest bit of sarcasm. Max caught it, but didn't comment.

"He's really sweet," she said, nodding. Fang caught the way she almost said 'but'.

"Are you gonna marry him?"

Max stared up at him with wide eyes. "God, no! He's nice and all, but… I can't live with him for the rest of my life."

He noticed the way she was staring at him, studying him still; he decided to do the same to her.

Max still looked the same as she always did. Big brown eyes, blonde-brown hair, and perfect skin that he wanted to run his fingers over. He knew it would be cool and smooth under his calloused fingers. She still dressed like she was in high school. Ripped up jeans and a t-shirt. Her purse was non-existent. She wore no make-up, but her brown eyes stood out on her light skin.

Fang finished his coffee and stood, stretching. "Well, I guess I should go, Max. I'll see you around?" He started to leave, but Max grabbed his wrist, shooting fire up his arm from the physical contact.

"Wait!" She said, a bit loudly. People in the café turned to look at them oddly, then went back to whatever it is they were doing.

"Yes, Max?" Fang asked quietly, a small smirk on his face.

"What's your phone number? I'll call you and we can meet up for some coffee or something."

Fang grinned. "It's the same as it always was. I'm free every day until school starts." Fang smirked at Max as he walked away, but the feeling of her hand around his wrist was still there.

_Why did I tell myself I wasn't in love with her?

* * *

_

_Max- a few days later._

"You know who I ran into the other day?" Max asked Dylan as he cooked dinner for them.

"Who's that?" He asked while munching on a carrot that he was supposed to be using for a salad.

"Fang. You remember him, right?" Max asked, watching Dylan's reaction carefully. His back straightened and he stopped chopping the vegetables, turning to face Max.

He plastered a fake smile on his face. "Of course I remember Fang," he said stiffly. "How is he?"

"Don't try to fool me, Dylan," Max snapped, "I know when you're faking it. You don't like him?"

Dylan shook his head. "I don't mind him Max. Dinner's ready, so why don't we eat? I think that one television show comes on tonight."

Max made a mental note to call Fang at work tomorrow and meet up. She needed to ask him what _really_ happened.

* * *

_Fang_

Why did he think he wasn't in love with Max? Seeing her at that café… it drove him crazy that he could see her, but he couldn't touch her. He couldn't kiss her. She belonged to another, not him now.

He sighed and turned on his laptop, opening Pandora and setting it on his kitchen table. It was time to unpack those pictures of Max, seeing as Fang knew that his feelings for her still existed.

He started pulling the pictures out of the box when a Three Days Grace song came on. He sighed in annoyance; why was his life such a huge cliché? All these songs that fit perfectly with his life… He liked the song, though, so he didn't change it. ("Over and Over" by Three Days Grace)

_I feel it every day, it's all the same__  
__It brings me down but I'm the one to blame__  
__I've tried everything to get away__  
__So here I go again__  
__Chasing you down again__  
__Why do I do this?__  
_

_Over and over, over and over__  
__I fall for you__  
__Over and over, over and over__  
__I try not to._

_It feels like every day stays the same__  
__It's dragging me down and I can't pull away__  
__So here I go again__  
__Chasing you down again__  
__Why do I do this?_

_Over and over, over and over__  
__I fall for you__  
__Over and over, over and over__  
__I try not to__  
__Over and over, over and over__  
__You make me fall for you__  
__Over and over, over and over__  
__You don't even try__  
_

_So many thoughts that I can't get out of my head__  
__I try to live without you, every time I do I feel dead__  
__I know what's best for me__  
__But I want you instead__  
__I'll keep on wasting all my time_

_Over and over, over and over__  
__I fall for you__  
__Over and over, over and over__  
__I try not to__  
__Over and over, over and over__  
__You make me fall for you__  
__Over and over, over and over__  
__You don't even try to__._

* * *

"Hello?" Fang answered his cell phone.

"Hey, Fang? It's Max."

Fang grinned despite himself and shook his hair out of his face. "Hey Max, what's up?"

"I was wondering… are you free this afternoon? Dylan's going out with some friends and I wanna catch up…"

"Of course, Max. You wanna go to the park or something? I can bring Broc."

He heard Max sighing on the other end. "That sounds awesome. I'll meet you at the band shell around four?"

"Sounds good," Fang said and smirked.

* * *

"This is Broc," Fang said, tugging on the dog's leash so he went up to Max. She grinned at the large dog as it sniffed her hands, and then allowed her to pet him.

"Thanks for meeting up with me, Fang," she said, smiling.

"It's no problem," he said, running his fingers through his hair. "What did you want to talk about?"

No point beating around the bush for Max. "What really happened five years ago? When you left?"

Fang's grip on Broc's leash tightened considerably. "What do you mean?" He asked, keeping his tone even and devoid of emotion.

"Why doesn't Dylan like you? I mentioned that I ran into you and he changed the subject."

"He didn't like the idea of us being together," Fang said quietly, staring straight ahead.

"What do you mean?"

"You remember how we couldn't call each other? And how we kept going to different places, thinking the other would be there?" Max nodded. "That was all Dylan."

"Oh. So, he… tried to break us up? I thought that was all a big misunderstanding."

Fang shook his head, holding Broc from chasing a squirrel. "I… I thought that Dylan was better for you, so I didn't tell you the whole story. That was my bad… I'm sorry."

Max stared ahead of her. "I can't believe…"

"I should go," Fang said, turning around to go back to his car.

"No, don't go, Fang. I'm not mad at you… I could never be mad at you. Did Dylan like me all that time ago? Is that why he broke us up?"

Fang shrugged. "Guess so."

"That son of a bitch," Max mumbled under her breath. "I'll see you around, Fang. I'm going to talk to Dylan about this…" And she left Fang alone with his thoughts.

_I didn't even get to say bye to her…_ He thought as he watched her retreating form.

"Come on, Broc," he said, tugging on the leash, "Let's go home."

* * *

**Hm… that was an interesting chapter, no? Thanks to Aquapolartop for the song :D**

**REVIEW**

Hey, you wanna stalk me? Follow me on twitter. You get to know when I'm writing, what songs will be used, and what's going on in my personal life :D (My username is kels_la, but there's a link on my profile as well)


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey there… There's something rather important it the bottom A/N…**

**I don't own Maximum Ride.

* * *

**

_Max_

"What the hell were you thinking?" Max yelled, throwing her book down when she saw Dylan re-enter their apartment.

He looked up, confused. "What are you talking about, Max?" He asked, sounding a little nervous, like she caught him in the middle of cheating on a test.

"I was in love with him, Dylan, and you ruined it! Why?" Max spat, glaring at him and clenching her fists. She was _so _ready for a fight.

"What the _hell_ are you talking about, Max?" Dylan asked, still a little confused, but starting to catch on.

"You know what I'm talking about." She continued to glare at him as he set his car keys on the kitchen table.

"I'm afraid I don't, Max. Now, can you just calm down and explain what you're so mad about?" Dylan said, placing both his hands on Max's shoulders and forcing her to sit on the couch.

She shoved him off and jumped up again. "Don't touch me." She growled, starting to pace. "Why did you sabotage my relationship with Fang?" Silence on Dylan's end. "Answer me!" She demanded, wheeling on him.

"I told you back then," Dylan said from the couch. "He was cheating on you and I didn't want him to hurt you."

"Fang said it was all you."

"Of course he said that. He didn't want to admit that he was cheating on you."

Max remembered something. "He told me once that he heard from you that I was cheating on him. Care to explain?" Dylan paled. "And the fact that we were both receiving fake texts from the other?" More silence. "That's what I thought, Dylan." She left the living room, heading to their bedroom. Dylan heard the sound of drawers opening and shutting, and then Max came storming back into the living room, grabbing her purse and car keys.

"Where are you going, Max?" Dylan asked carefully.

She didn't even look at him as she opened the door. "Away from you."

* * *

_Fang_

Fang's phone went off in his pocket as he walked Broc down the streets of Normal. He glanced warily at the sky; it looked like it would rain soon.

"Hello?" He asked, not bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Hey, Fang?" It was Max, and she sounded upset. What was with all her calls to him today?

"Yeah?" He asked, swooshing his hair to the side and grimacing as he heard some girl sigh.

"Sorry for bugging you so much today… You think I could crash at your place tonight? All my girlfriends are out of town for summer and Dylan and I got in a fight and… You're the only other person I've got." She sounded a little mad that she had to ask him this, but her tone was mostly upset.

"Yeah, that's fine," he said, expertly hiding his excitement at spending more time with Max and that she had a fight with Dylan.

"Where's your place?" She asked as Fang turned back in the direction of his apartment. He needed to get back and hide all those pictures he had of her.

"You know where Rose Peppers is?" He asked, referring to the Mexican restaurant next to his apartment complex.

"Yeah, it's over on Eastland, isn't it?"

"Um, sure. I live in the apartment complex right next to it. Number four."

"Alright. Thanks again, Fang. It really means a lot to me."

"It's no problem, Max. I'll see you in a couple minutes."

"Okay, bye." She hung up and Fang turned into his apartment complex, tugging Broc along.

"Hear that, boy?" Fang asked his dog when they were inside his apartment. "We're havin' Max over." Broc growled his agreement and Fang found his way to the pictures he had of Max, taking them down and hiding them in the hall closet. No need for her to know that he was still in love with her.

A few minutes later, there was a quiet knock on his door; Fang wouldn't have known someone was there if Broc hadn't gone insane with barking.

Fang opened the door and smiled at Max. "Hey." He leaned on the doorframe and calmed Broc by scratching behind his ears.

"Crazy dog ya got there," she commented dryly.

Fang nodded. "He's pretty insane. If he eats you, it's not my fault." He stepped back from the door. "Come on in. It's a bit of a mess; I still haven't had time to unpack."

She stepped in, and Fang was able to see how upset she was. There were dried tear tracks down her face; her muscles were tense as she looked around his messy apartment. "Am I sleeping on the couch?" She asked, eyeing how it was covered in packaging materials and empty cardboard boxes.

"Unless you wanna sleep with me," he said, realizing that it sounded weird. "I mean, you could take the couch, the floor, or we could share my bed," he corrected, keeping his voice smooth. She didn't need to know how nervous he was to have her over.

Max smiled at him. "Which one is your room?" She asked, readjusting her bag on her shoulder and giving Fang her answer.

He stared for a few seconds at her, a little shocked. "It's that first one on the right." She walked to his room, opened the door and threw her things inside. She came back over to him and examined his few belongings that were unpacked.

"Who're they?" Max asked, pointing to a picture of Iggy and Gazzy holding up their best creation: a bomb made out of an old alarm clock.

"That's Iggy, and that's Gazzy," he said, pointing to them in turn. "And they're holding up a bomb that they made." He spotted a picture that he hadn't hidden in his closet; it was of him and Max with their arms around each other and grinning. Fang almost growled as he remembered who exactly _took_ the picture. Dylan.

"A bomb?" She muttered to herself and saw the picture of Max and Fang together next. Fang could tell she was blushing as she picked it up and wiped the dust from the glass. She turned to him. "You still have this?"

He nodded sheepishly. "Yeah," he mumbled quietly, forcing himself not to blush.

She smiled cutely at him. "That's really sweet, Fang."

He met her eyes and she blushed a deeper red. Fang was debating whether or not to kiss her when her stomach growled loudly, ruining the moment. "Hungry?" He asked, chuckling awkwardly.

"A little," she said, joining in the awkward laugh.

"I've got some leftover lasagna from yesterday, if you want it. I already ate."

Max nodded and walked to the kitchen, opening his refrigerator and pulling out the casserole dish. He leaned on the wall next to her and she turned to him, cocking an eyebrow. "You made lasagna?" She asked, setting in on the counter and taking the aluminum foil off the top. She turned around to face him, motioning to the dish. "And you ate half of it?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I was hungry. The microwave's not unpacked yet, so you'll have to eat it cold."

She took a paper plate from the counter and found a spatula, cutting a large piece from the casserole dish and putting it on the plate. "I was going to, anyway. Where're the forks?"

Fang stared into space, pretending to think. "Actually… I don't think I have any." He grinned, stunning her for a moment. "I guess you'll have to eat with your fingers."

Max glared over at him. "Fang, now isn't a good time to mess with me. I'm serious. Where are the forks?"

Fang sighed and pulled a plastic fork out of the box behind him and speared it through her lasagna. He took the plate from her, set it on the counter, and started rubbing her shoulders. "You need to relax," he whispered in her ear, "Tense muscles aren't good for your health."

She sighed and Fang felt her muscles relax under his fingers. "And why should I listen to you?" She asked defiantly, even though she was slowly relaxing.

"Because I know what I'm talking about… and you're enjoying this," he whispered, his lips barely touching her ear. She sighed again and leaned against his hands as they worked the knots out of her muscles. Her shoulders relaxed and she leaned her head back so it was resting on his neck. He pulled his hands away when her stomach growled again. "You need to eat," he said, stepping back from her. "Eating is a little more important than a back massage." She walked to the couch silently after grabbing her plate and cleared off a place to sit. Fang opened his fridge again. "What do you want to drink? I have water, Coke, and Sprite," he called.

"I'll have some water, thanks," he heard her say from the couch. She spoke quietly now, he hoped he didn't offend her with his probably unwelcome massage. He grabbed a bottle of water and a Coke for himself and joined Max on the couch, sitting a safe distance from her.

He handed her the water and their hands brushed; Fang pretended not to care. "I'm sorry."

She took a bite of her food and looked up at him. "What for?" She asked when she'd swallowed.

"For… that. Back there in the kitchen. It was uncalled for."

Max blinked slowly at him. "You're good. I was just… thinking."

"About?" He asked, glad that she wasn't mad at him.

"How Dylan never does that for me." She took another bite of lasagna and opened the bottle of water.

Fang opened his can of Coke, taking a long drink. "If you want, I can finish it after you're done eating."

Max blushed. "That'd be great."

There was a long pause. "Why are you here, Max?"

"I got in a fight with Dylan." Fang didn't respond, waiting for her to go on. She sighed. "About you." Still, he didn't respond, so Max went on. "I asked him why he tried to break you and me up, and he said he didn't know what I was talking about. Then I asked if you really cheated on me, and he said you did. I asked why he told you that I cheated on you and he never said anything… Then I left and called some of my friends and asked if I could stay there, but none of them were home, so I called you and here I am." Max took a big breath after her speech. "You never cheated on me, right?" She asked in a small voice.

Fang stared at her, his eyes widening a fraction of a centimeter. "No," he said quietly. "I'd never do that to you, Max."

She quietly finished her food. "That was really good," she said, drinking more of her water.

"My mom's recipe," he said, inviting Broc onto the couch between them. He started licking Max's face and hands, getting all the leftover bits.

She giggled and pushed him away, but still scratched behind his ears. "Is it time for your dinner?" She asked the dog, turning to Fang, who shrugged.

"It's," he checked the clock on the wall behind him quickly. "Six o'clock. 'Bout time he ate." Fang rose and fed Broc quickly, sitting back down with Max. "You want me to finish that back massage now?"

* * *

"We should get ready for bed," Fang said sleepily, switching off the television. There really wasn't anything good on at three in the morning. Max shifted in her spot in front of him, resting her head back on his shoulder. She was sitting between his legs, leaning back on his chest with his hands hesitantly wrapped around her stomach.

"Dylan would _kill_ me if he knew I was sitting with you like this," Max said in return.

Fang chuckled. "I think he'd kill _me_, actually," he said, tightening his arms around her.

Max yawned and pulled away from him, standing and stretching. Both missed the warmth of the other, but neither was going to admit it. "Come on… we should go to sleep."

Fang blinked, trying to keep his eyes open and yawned. "Max, do you still love me?" He asked out of nowhere.

She turned back to him with a slight blush on her cheeks. "I…" she was going to say something cheesy like 'I've always loved you, Fang' but she stuck to the simplest thing. "Yeah."

He grinned back at her, happy that she was being honest; of course, it _was_ three in the morning. Most people were honest at this ungodly hour. "Then why are you still with Dylan?"

"When… when you left… he made it seem… a little better."

"Are you gonna break up with him?"

"Do _you_ still love _me_?" She asked in response. He nodded. "Then I guess… Can we talk about it tomorrow?" She asked, trudging to the door of his room quietly. "I'm really tired."

Fang nodded. "Me too. Do you want music to play while you fall asleep?" He asked, remembering how she liked to sleep while listening to music. He stood and joined her in his room.

Max nodded. "Dylan doesn't let me do that anymore… it'd be nice. You still have that Needtobreathe CD that I really like?"

Fang smiled. "Of course. You wanna listen to it?"

"Yeah," she said, finding her pajamas. "Turn around," she said, "I don't want you to see me naked."

Fang nodded. "Very blunt, Max. I hope you don't mind me sleeping in just some sleep pants."

He felt her stare on his back as he shrugged out of his shirt and found some sleep pants. When he turned around, she was crawling into his bed, smelling the sheets discretely. He put the CD in, put it on shuffle, and clambered into bed next to Max, who snuggled up to him and fell asleep almost immediately. Fang listened to the lyrics of one song before falling asleep himself. ("I Won't Look Back" by Needtobreathe)

_Love, love isn't always love  
The way that we mean.  
Just like you are right now  
Is all, all that I need._

_Let's start over,  
Don't be afraid,  
'Cause I won't keep track.  
Let's climb to the top,  
If you won't look down,  
I won't look back._

_Love, love isn't always love  
The kind that ya hold.  
I will be here waiting  
If you, you can let go._

_Let's start over,  
Don't be afraid,  
'Cause I won't keep track.  
Let's climb to the top,  
If you won't look down,  
I won't look back._

_Let's start over,  
Don't be afraid,  
'Cause I won't keep track.  
Let's climb to the top,  
If you won't look down,  
I won't look back.

* * *

_

**There ya go. Fax. :)**

**You wanna know when I'm writing? Follow me on Twitter. My username is kels_la and my name on there is Kelsey :). You get to know when I'm writing, what songs will be used in this story, and spoilers for this (and other) stories! Plus, it's free!**

**You'd better…**

**REVIEW**

If anyone would like a shout out next chapter, then he or she should read my story, _On the Wing_, or he or she should read Aquapolartop's story _Here and There_. Now, for this to count, you have to actually _read_ the story and say something about it in a review. (Of course, if you choose to read Aquapolartop's story, say that you want a shout out from Twitch as well. Aquapolartop's promising shout outs to who ever reviews as well.) If you only say, "I'm reviewing for a shout out" you won't get one. Please do it :)


	7. Chapter 6

**What's Your Point, **_**The**_** Mini Sea Giraffe, DancingSurferSoccerplayer **(I think that's her name), **Georgia Brenteney Evans, and Aquapolartop get shout outs. That is all.**

**And to **_**you**_**. Yes **_**you**_** reading this on your bright pink encased iPhone (not the iPhone 4). I know I spelled your name wrong. You know I don't care.**

**This was going to be part of the previous chapter, but I try to make chapters around five pages… so here's the second part of the previous chapter. FAX IS IN THIS CHAPTER.**

**I don't own Maximum Ride or Relient K. Now that I think of it, I don't own The Fray, Three Days Grace, Needtobreathe, or Hot Chelle Rae either.

* * *

**

_Fang_

A loud peal of thunder woke Fang. He tried to sit up, but there was something; make that some_one_, on his chest. He opened his eyes, wondering just how drunk he got last night if he couldn't even remembering going to the bar, and saw Max. Oh. That's right; Max came over because she had a fight with Dylan. Max said that she was still in love with him. Oh yeah… he remembered that now.

The next boom of thunder woke Max and she opened her eyes; Fang chuckled as her eyelashes brushed his chest; it tickled. She looked around and found Fang's face, at which she smiled sleepily. "Morning," she said, looking at the digital clock on his bedside table, it was blank. She groaned. "Why am I awake?"

The thunder rolled, making the windows shake; Max closed her eyes, trying to block out the sound. "That's why," he said, pulling the blankets tighter around themselves.

"Why'd it have to storm? I hate thunder," she said, trying to go back to sleep. She let out a small scream when lightning struck and Fang wrapped a protective arm around her.

"Hey, no need to be scared, Max, I'm right here. You want me to turn some lights on?" Fang asked and she nodded meekly, keeping her eyes tightly shut. Fang rose and flipped the lights, only to find that the power was out.

He snuck back to the bed and climbed back in. Max opened her eyes carefully. "Why aren't the lights back on?" She whined.

Fang shushed her. "The power's out." He pulled his iPhone from the bedside table, checking the real time. "It's noon…" he said, wondering how he could still be this tired when he slept that late.

Max blinked sleepily. "We should get up if it's noon," she said, closing her eyes again and pulling the covers up over her shoulders. She rolled onto her side so her back was to Fang.

Fang chuckled and put his arm around Max's waist, tugging her body against his. "We should…" he mumbled into her neck, blowing wisps of her hair away from his mouth.

"But this is nice," Max said, sighing and not shaking for once when the thunder boomed.

Fang nodded and kissed the back of her neck. "Go back to sleep, Max," he whispered, "I'll wake you up when the storm stops."

* * *

_Dylan- Oh, you're going to _love_ me for this._

Dylan paced his living room the day after Max left. It was storming. She was scared of storms. Dylan didn't know what she would do if she was staying by herself in a hotel or something. She'd left him for a day before, but she was always back around midnight. Now it was noon, and she still wasn't back. It started storming around six this morning, so she had _plenty_ of time to drive back here in the middle of the night.

He ripped his phone from his pocket at dialed Nudge's phone number quickly. _Maybe she's with Nudge._ No answer. He cursed and dialed Angel's number next. No answer again. She was _always_ with one of those two. Only one thing to do, now.

Dylan found the keys to his big SUV and left the apartment, despite the howling wind outside. He pulled onto the interstate, ignoring the radio blaring about the tornado warning and that everyone should be off the roads because a tornado had been spotted in the area. All he cared about was getting to Nudge's place and demanding to know where Max was.

Dylan sped up at the thought of Max being scared and alone; he was unaware of the sharp turn ahead, or of the semi that was losing control and beginning to hydroplane. He took the turn quickly, his tires not gripping the wet pavement and skidding. The SUV slid sideways on the turn, smashing into the front of the semi that Dylan couldn't see. The force of the impact sent Dylan's car spinning into the guardrail and rolling over it onto a pile of rocks, smashing the top of the car and the windshield. The last thing Dylan remembered was blue flashing lights and sirens.

* * *

_Fang_

Fang heard Max's phone ringing across the room, but it wasn't waking her up. He decided that he should at least look at the caller ID, and if it was someone _other_ than Dylan, he would answer it.

Fang carefully un-wrapped his arms from Max's stomach and stood. She shifted onto her back, whispering his name and letting her eyes flutter open slowly. "Where are you going?" She asked almost silently.

Fang kissed her mouth softly. "I'm going to answer your phone; go back to sleep." She nodded sleepily, not seeming to care that he kissed her, and closed her eyes, falling asleep almost immediately. Fang found Max's phone, pressed the green talk button, and put it to his ear after he saw that it wasn't Dylan.

He liked his lips, relishing in Max's taste that was still on them. "Hello?" Fang whispered.

"Is this Ms. Maximum Martinez's phone?" A very serious, male voice asked.

"It is," Fang said very quietly so he wouldn't wake Max.

"May I please speak to her?"

"She's asleep, sir."

The man seemed to like Fang calling him 'sir'. "And who are you to her?"

"I'm… it's complicated, sir. Can I just take a message?"

"Very well. If you could inform her that Dylan Jones, her boyfriend, I believe, was… well, he was in a car accident on the interstate and he didn't make it. His SUV took a turn _very_ sharply and hit a semi, then the guardrail, which he flipped over. He didn't make it back to the hospital. May I ask your name, young man?"

Fang's eyes widened all the way. He ran his hands through his messy black hair. "M-my name's Nick Ride, s-sir. Dylan is… he's dead?"

"Well, to be blunt, Mr. Ride, yes. He's dead. Now, will I be able to reach Ms. Martinez at this phone number later in the day?"

"Um, yessir. She'll be awake later." The thunder boomed loudly outside, rattling the windows. Max stirred in her sleep and Fang turned to stare at her sleeping form.

"I'll call back then, Mr. Ride. Be safe in this storm," the official-sounding man said and then hung up. Fang dropped Max's phone back onto her stuff and walked back to the bed in a trance. Dylan was dead. Dead. DEAD. How was he going to tell Max that her boyfriend was dead?

Fang crawled under the covers, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling. Max stirred again and rolled on her side, facing him this time. "You're back." She messed with his hair, and then noticed his serious expression. "What's wrong?"

"Did you hear any of that conversation?" Fang asked gruffly, still staring at the dark ceiling.

The lighting flashed and Max shook her head. "I remember you getting up, and you getting back. What was the phone call about?"

Fang turned to Max. "It was from the hospital."

Max's eyes widened. "What…?"

"Dylan was killed in a car wreck. He died before they could get him back to the hospital," Fang said, breaking eye contact with Max. He didn't want to see her expression.

She stopped breathing for a second. "He's dead?" Fang grunted his response. "He was driving on the interstate?" Fang nodded and she cursed. "That means he was driving to Nudge's to ask where I was." Max's voice broke and Fang could tell she was crying. She sat up and curled into the fetal position, crying into her knees. Fang sat up and wrapped his strong arm around her shoulders carefully; she buried her face into the space between his shoulder and neck, wrapping her arms around his bare torso. Even though her skin was cold, the contact it made with his chest made his skin burn. Her tears were running down his back and chest, making him shiver. He rubbed her back awkwardly, shushing her and mumbling into her hair about how sorry he was.

A while later, Max's tears died down and she just stayed there, hugging him. She pulled back and looked at Fang face. "I'm sorry for breaking down on you like that," she mumbled.

"You're good, Max," he mumbled back, right as Max leaned towards him and kissed him. He was surprised, but he went with it anyway, taking a big breath through his nose and tilting his head to deepen their kiss. Max parted her lips and they started to French kiss, he pulled her into his lap so he would have a better angle. She moved her arms from around his stomach to his hair, running her fingers through it and sighing into his mouth.

Max pulled away when Fang's hands made it up the back of her shirt and almost worked it off her. She wasn't ready to do that with Fang; they'd never slept together when they were dating before, and Max wasn't intending on jumping right back in with Fang, especially right after Dylan died. "Thanks," she mumbled, resting her forehead on his.

She heard Fang take a deep breath. "I love you," he breathed into her face and her eyes snapped open, but she didn't pull away from him.

She took a shaky breath as his eyes opened and she felt herself tear up again. "I… I love you, too, Fang." God, she felt terrible about telling him the truth. She realized that Dylan died thinking that she loved him, but all of these five years, she was in love with another. "I love you so much," she sobbed, starting to cry again; she kissed his mouth quickly and pulled away.

Fang kissed her tears away, quieting her. "Max…"

"He thought I only loved him… Fang, I'm a terrible person." Max whimpered and tried to pull away from him, but he held on to her.

"Max, you're not a terrible person," he told her firmly. "Bad things happen in every relationship. It's not your fault."

Max nodded and rested her chin on his shoulder. "It feels like it is."

"I know, baby. I know."

* * *

_Ring, ring, ring._ There goes Max's phone again. Fang watched her from his seat on the couch as she found her phone and answered it. "Hello?" She asked, coming back to sit with Fang. "Yeah, that's true." Max pushed the phone away from her mouth and winked at Fang. "Nudge, it's my _mom_!" Fang smiled slightly at her. "Yes, I'm at Nudge's… No, I don't know where I'm going to live. I'll probably move out of my old apartment… Of course I'll tell you where I decide to live… Okay, bye, Mom… Yes, I love you, too. Bye." Max hung up her phone and lied her head on Fang's knees, looking up at him. "Can I live with you?"

Fang met her eyes. "If you really want to."

"I don't think I could live anywhere else… Being around you helps me get over… everything."

"What's your mom going to think?"

Max gave him a mischievous look. "She's going to think that I'm living with a co-worker."

"And if she decides to visit?"

"You're my co-worker and close friend, Nick, and we both needed a place to stay, so we bought this apartment together. We're 'just friends' and… you might have to pretend that you have a girlfriend."

"Guess it's good that I never met your parents when we dated." He dropped a light kiss on her forehead and the corners of her mouth twitched into a small smile.

"Psh, they never knew we were dating. They'd never have approved of a 'bad boy' like yourself." She entwined their fingers and examined the way her hand fit into his perfectly. "We're not… dating."

Fang nodded. "I know. We should… wait."

"We'll start going out at Christmas? That's six months from now… Can you wait that long?" Max asked with a smile at him when he nodded. "I love you, but… I need time to get over Dylan." She trailed off and stared into space, then turned her eyes back to him. "And I wouldn't want you to feel like a rebound guy or something," she finished with a roll of her eyes.

Fang shrugged. "I enjoy all the time I have with you."

"Was that your way of saying you don't care?"

Fang shrugged again just as there was a loud pound on the door, sending Broc into hysterics. Fang shook his head. "Shut up, Broc," he said, placating the dog with a scratch behind his ears. Fang rose and answered the door, straightening his hair and shirt so he looked a little presentable.

The door swung open to reveal Fang's landlord, Mr. Henson, his grey hair plastered to his head and his clothes dripping wet. "Hello, Nicholas," the old man said with a bright smile. Fang smiled politely back, covering the fact that he _hated_ his real name. "You're doing alright in this storm?"

"Yessir, I am. Power's out, though."

"I could tell from the dark hallways. You have enough food to last for a few days?"

Fang nodded, he was stocked up on dry cereal, soda, and canned fruit, that was for sure. "I've got enough to last for a while."

Mr. Henson peered into his living room. "You don't have any flashlights?"

"I do, we're just not using them."

"We? You and your crazy dog?" Mr. Henson asked with a smile at the dog, which was behind Fang, panting and wagging his tail.

"No, I have a friend over." Fang twisted to face his couch, where Max was relaxing. "Max, you wanna come meet my landlord?"

He heard Max shuffle to the door, and she stood next to him. "Hi," she said, smiling slightly.

"Hello, young lady," Mr. Henson said, stretching his hand out for Max to shake. He turned to Fang. "She doesn't live here, does she?"

Fang shook his head. "No, but I was wondering if she could move in with me? Is that possible?"

"Oh! Well then." He pulled out a small notebook from his jacket pocket and a stub of a pencil. "What's your full name, young lady?"

"Maximum Martinez," she said, a little too quietly for the old man's ears.

"What was that?"

"Her name's Maximum Martinez," Fang spoke for her. "She's twenty… seven?" Max nodded and he smiled. "Twenty-seven."

Mr. Henson raised his eyebrows. "Going for younger women, Nicholas?"

Fang smirked genuinely. "Only by a year."

"And we're not dating," Max added, "I'm just going to live here." Fang nodded in agreement.

"Oh?"

"My boyfriend of five years just… passed away, so I need a place to stay. F-Nick opened his door to me, and here I am."

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Martinez… I'll add your name to the rent payer list and be on my way! Take care, you two." He waved and Fang closed the door, looking to Max. She was simply staring into space with a nostalgic expression.

She looked up to meet his eyes. "I never got to say goodbye."

Fang simply hugged her softly and kissed the top of her hair. "I know."

"Sing me a song?" Max asked once they were back on the couch.

Fang rolled his eyes. "It won't be very good."

"I don't care." Fang sighed and began to sing. ("Candlelight/Flare" by Relient K)

"_To know her is to love her  
I'm going undercover  
To catch a glimpse but not get caught  
But to see her could be worse  
If I don't get my head straight first  
On second though I guess I'll not._

_She's almost brighter than the sun  
Seems to me to be unfair  
When you consider everyone  
Who pales when they compare._

_Can't hold a candle to her  
Cause all the moths get in the way  
And they'll begin to chew her  
Entire attire until it frays  
For she outshines anyone who ever might  
Dare to bask in the same candlelight._

_Oh please don't seat us in the back  
With all the insects and the trash  
She is a lady, I'm the tramp  
Collecting stares from pairs close by  
Then flutters in a butterfly  
Ew, just a moth drawn to the lamp._

_She's like an ancient artifact  
Something you're lucky to have found  
She'll pinch the nerves in all the necks  
When she turns those heads around._

_Can't hold a candle to her  
Cause all the moths get in the way  
And they'll begin to chew her  
Entire attire until it frays  
For she outshines anyone who ever might  
Dare to bask in the same candlelight._

_A solar flare shines through her hair  
It's so unfair when you compare  
The one who's fairest of the fair.

* * *

_

**If you couldn't find the last part of the song, look up "Flare" by Relient K. It's not really part of the song, but it kind of is and… It involves a certain writer/singer's inability to count. **(i.e. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15)

***noms* Mmm… these Reese's that anonymous reviewer Alex gave me are delicious. Thanks again, Alex ****:)**

***noms some more* And these Pepper Imps (from **_**The Wizarding World of Harry Potter**_**) that Aquaploartop bought me are amazing as well. Thanks to you, too.**

**REVIEW OR I WILL STOP WRITING FOR A MONTH.**

People who *gasp* _**REVIEW**_, telling me the name of Relient K's lead singer (and the way he pronounces his last name) will get a shout out next chapter.


	8. Chapter 7

*smiles nervously* Sorry. School went insane and killed me… sorry. Thanksgiving Break brought me back to life. You should all be thankful for Thanksgiving Break. Hehe. Bad Puns = Amazing.

**And here I am again. Halfway shout outs for: Geo Bren Eva, Bye, and Aquapo. See what I did? Hehe.**

**The lead singer of Relient K is Matt Theissen and it's pronounced 'tee-son'. His Twitter page says 'The H is silent'.**

**I don't own Maximum Ride.

* * *

**

_Fang_

Fang stood at the front of his first period class as they filed in. These were sophomores, he could tell. They had the look of students that had gone through a year of high school and _thought_ they knew what to expect. Fang remembered the one class of sophomores he had last year in Vienna; they were stuck up and rude. _Just_ the kind of students _every_ teacher wanted.

Fang clapped his hands when everyone was seated. "Alright, my name is Fang Ride, buy you will call me Mr. Ride. This is Wellness, so if you're in the wrong class, please leave now." No one got up, so Fang continued with class, handing out papers. "I'm passing a note that I need your parents to sign tonight stating that I can give you emergency medical care if need be. Please bring it back _tomorrow_. Not Wednesday, not Thursday; _tomorrow._" Fang finished handing out the papers and went back to the front of the room. "And before anyone asks, I'll answer your questions for you. No, Fang is not my real name. No, I'm not going to tell you what my real name is. I am 28 years old, I'm not married and I don't have a girlfriend. Questions?"

Fang called on a boy seated in the front row. "I'm Matt and do you have any pets?"

"I have a dog." Fang went on the answer all sorts of questions, ranging from if he had children (no) to whether or not his parents were still alive (yes).

* * *

_Max_

Max's office phone rang and she stared at in trepidation.

_Please don't be another call saying sorry about Dylan's death,_ she wished to herself; she was so sick of sympathy calls… she felt like shooting herself the next time someone told her, 'I'm so sorry.' She wanted a nice, peaceful call… from Fang, maybe. She glanced at the clock; he didn't have his lunch until eleven thirty. She sighed. It definitely wasn't him.

"Hello, this is Max Martinez with _The Normal Post_. How can I help you today?"

"Hey sweetie!" Max's mom said with her 'cute' (more like annoying) Southern twang.

Max sighed heavily, opening the article that she needed to finish this week and smashing the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could type. "Hi, Mom."

"How are you?"

Max really hated formalities, but her mom was Southern-Born-And-Southern-Bred, so she had to deal with them. "I'm doing fine, Mom. How are you?"

"I'm great, honey, thanks for asking!" She exclaimed, sounding more like she was talking to a favorite neighbor rather than her own daughter, but that's how it always was with Max's mom; they got along in Max's teenage years, but now that they never saw each other, they were _much_ different. "So, um, Max… Have you worked out where you're going to live?"

Max started typing away at her article, trying to stop from blushing. She'd moved into Fang's house about a month ago. "Yes, Mother. I'm living with a co-worker."

"Why aren't you living with that nice Nudge girl? She seemed rather nice when I visited a while ago."

"Nudge is in college, Mom. She can't have me living with her! I'd distract her from her studies. And besides, my co-worker is very nice."

"What's her name?"

Max blushed, happy that her mom couldn't see her. "_His_ name is Fa- I mean Nick. His name is Nick. Nicholas Ride."

There was silence on the other line. "If you're living with a man, I'll have to come and make sure it's a suitable living situation for you, Maxine."

Max cringed at the use of her birth name; she'd gotten it legally changed when she turned eighteen, but her mother never really listened to the government told her, seeing as the president was a democrat currently. Her and all her southern, Republican crap. "Fine, Mother. If you really want to. There's nothing between me and Nick, though. Relationships in the workplace are strictly prohibited where we, uh, work."

"Well, I'm definitely coming up there this weekend! What's your address, sweetie?"

Max groaned, telling her mother Fang's (and now it was hers, too) address, then hanging up and checking the clock, before the phone rang yet again. "Max Martinez with _The Normal Post_. How can I help you today?" She needed to finish this article by tomorrow, but the voice that answered her cheered her up considerably.

"Well, you sound a little… upset, to say the least," Fang said and she could tell that he had food in his mouth.

"What's up with the late call, Fang? You said you'd call me right at 11:30, at it's definitely noon." Max just _loved_ messing with Fang.

"Well, _Max,_ just so you know, my good friend Iggy decided to call and is inviting himself over this weekend. He's rather… eh… picky, and he has to have a bed; he'll want yours in the extra room, so it'll probably be you and me sharing a bed. Only if you don't mind, of course."

Max paled and started tapping slowly at the keyboard. "Um… Fang?"

"Yes, Max?" There was some rustling and then a whispered, "Class doesn't start for another twenty minutes, get out!"

"My mom called right before you did, and she's inviting _herself_ over this weekend."

"Oh, well, I can call Iggy and ask him to reschedule, if you want."

She shook her head. "No, no, it's fine. We'll just deal with both of them. Does Iggy know that I'm living with you?"

"Of course, Max. He and Gazzy were the first people I told when you moved in with me. I assume I'm the reason your mom is coming?" Max could hear him eating the rest of his lunch.

**(To Joey: I almost said "Yeah…" here.) **"Pretty much. Um… I can tell you're eating your lunch, so I'll go. I need to finish this article today, anyway. Bye, Fang."

"Love you," he said quickly, hanging up before Max could respond or protest. She didn't like to say that they loved each other when they weren't dating; it just sounded… _wrong.

* * *

_

_Fang_

There was a heavy pounding on the door and Max sighed from her seat on the couch. Fang laughed as Broc went crazy yet again. "Not the 'civilized' knocking of your mom?" It was Friday night, the day of the arrivals of the guests, and Max was _so_ nervous. Fang found it a little annoying that she was so stressed out about her mom coming over; it wasn't _that_ big a deal. But they'd made a deal with Iggy. No clubbing, drinking, staying up past three in the morning, and certainly _no_ bombs. Max wanted her mom to think they were at least _slightly_ civilized people.

Fang swung open the door the reveal his polar opposite and best friend, Iggy Collins. Iggy was Fang's polar opposite because well… everything that Fang was, Iggy wasn't, and vice-versa. Where Fang had black hair, Iggy had white-blonde. Where Fang was tan, Iggy was pale. Where Fang was quiet and reserved, Iggy was loud and flamboyant. Where Fang liked black, Iggy liked white. Yet they were best friends. It still amazed Fang. "Hey, man!" Iggy said, giving Fang a one-armed hug and clapping him on the shoulder. He glanced Max over Fang's shoulder and grinned wolfishly. Fang almost slapped himself in the face because he forgot to mention the half-way-dating situation with Max. Iggy approached Max and looked her over, still showing all his teeth. "And I take it you're Max?"

She nodded curtly, glancing at Fang pointedly, telling him to call his friend off. "And you should stop flirting with me."

Fang backed up so he was standing behind Max, where he wrapped a protective arm around her waist. "Really, Ig. Back off."

Iggy looked from Max and back up to Fang, (seeing as Fang was quite a bit taller than she was). He motioned to the two of them, stepping inside the apartment and kicking the door closed. "Wait… You two are…?"

"Not exactly, Iggy. We're living together, but we're waiting until Christmas to date." Max pulled away from Fang and stepped up to him, glaring at him. "You will _not_ mention that to my mom, okay? Now go put your stuff away. You're staying in Fang's room."

Iggy went to Fang's room to drop off his stuff, right as there was another, more civilized knock on the door. Max took a deep breath and stepped to the door, opening it quickly and plastering a fake smile on her face. "Hi Mom!" She said, but only Fang could hear the insincerity.

Max's mom was wearing a shimmery, black cocktail dress and black mini-heels; her suitcase was hidden behind her. She had obviously just come from an important meeting or something, but God knows Iggy was bound to take her apparel the wrong way.

Iggy came back out of Fang's room, catching sight of Max's mom, who raised her eyebrow at him. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said. "I don't have enough money to pay for _that_…" Iggy shook his head. "I'm sorry, but aren't you a little _old_ for a whore?"

Fang and Max had to bite back laughs as Max's mom; we'll call her Dr. Martinez now, raised an eyebrow, narrowed her eyes, pursed her lips, crossed her arms, tapped her foot, and did anything else that constituted _the_ look. "Excuse me?" She asked, not letting Iggy out of her glare.

"Iggy," Max said awkwardly, while still biting back laughs, "this is my mom."

Iggy smiled, not showing any signs of regretting what he said. "I'm so sorry ma'am; I must've misunderstood what Nick told me about our activities tonight. My name's Iggy Collins." Fang felt shooting each and every one of his fingers off for letting Iggy come.

"Iggy?" Dr. Martinez asked doubtfully, causing Iggy to roll his eyes as if on impulse.

"Yes, it's my real name. No, ma'am, it's not short for anything. No, I don't know what my parents were thinking. They were hippies, so please don't blame them." Fang knew how annoyed Iggy got when people asked about his name.

"I…see…" Dr. Martinez walked to Max. "Ah, Max… Could I talk to you… privately… for a minute?" Max and her mom disappeared into the guest/Max's room and Fang punched Iggy in the arm.

"Why'd ya have to say that, man? You knew she was gonna be here!" Fang prayed that Dr. Martinez couldn't hear them in the other room.

Iggy grinned sheepishly, looking up at Fang and laughing. "I'm sorry! You weren't gonna let me have any fun, so I figured I might as well take the chance while I had it." Iggy seemed unable to detect Fang's seriousness about this matter.

Fang lowered his voice and stepped closer to Iggy so their noses were almost touching; assuring that Iggy got his point. "Are you _trying_ to ruin my chances with impressing Max's mom? Iggy, this weekend is _extremely _important if I ever want to be with Max."

Iggy dropped his smile, but the teasing edge never really left his eyes or his voice. "I already said that if you really love her, then it'll all work out, didn't I?" Iggy smirked and tried to step away from his intimidating best friend, but Fang wasn't quite done yet.

Fang grabbed a fistful of Iggy's shirt and held him close. "If you ever_, ever_, say something to Max's mom like that again, I will personally see to it that you are—"

"We're back!" Max announced and Iggy reacted quickly, throwing his arms around Fang in a fake hug, kicking Fang in the shin so he hugged Iggy back.

"Aw, I missed you, too, Nicky!" Iggy exclaimed loudly into Fang's eardrum; Fang swore he heard the 'pop'.

"Yeah, um…" Fang pushed Iggy away roughly and turned to Max and her mom with a polite smile. "I'm very sorry for my, uh, _friend's_ behavior, Dr. Martinez. I haven't seen him in about three months, so he's a little… over enthusiastic."

Dr. Martinez nodded slowly. "I see… Um, Max said that I'd be staying in the guest room? I've had a long flight, so I think I'll go to sleep now. I suppose I'll see y'all tomorrow." Dr. Martinez disappeared into the guest room, leaving Iggy, Max, and Fang together in the living room.

Max immediately went up to Iggy and punched his shoulder, knocking him backward. "Why did you say that to my _mother?_" Fang always liked Max for her violence.

Iggy gave her a supremely innocent look. "I was having some fun…?"

"What do you mean you were 'having fun'? That was not fun! That was totally inappropriate to say to my _MOM!"_ Max was screaming at him now and Fang slunk like a guilty dog to the couch where he lied down; no matter how much he loved Max for her violence, he hated Max when she was pissed, even if it wasn't at him.

Iggy shrunk away from Max, looking much like Fang and his guilty dog impersonation, now. "Sorry, Max. I wasn't thinking and it won't happen again." His voice didn't _sound_ guilty at all, but Max wasn't willing to deal with that right now.

Max sighed. "Your apology is accepted, Iggy. Please, _don't_ make any more comments about my mom being a whore. She was in there talking to me about whether or not Fang was a 'good influence' on me, like I was thirteen or something." She rolled her eyes. "It was horrible." Max plopped down on the couch next to Fang (he was half sitting now) and rested her head on his shoulder casually; they were, unfortunately for Iggy, taking up the entire couch.

"Oh, so I don't get a seat? Fine." Iggy said as he sat on the floor near their feet and looked up at them, smiling mischievously, all traces of his previous remorse erased. He motioned at them rather flamboyantly with his hand. "You two are _too_ cute, together! Maybe I'll call Dr. Martinez out here so she can get a picture on her phone!" He started to stand and yell to Max's mom, but Fang quickly made room for Iggy by sitting up straight. Iggy smiled cutely as he took his seat. "I knew you'd see it my way, F-Nick."

Max giggled, eyeing Fang, and then Iggy. "F-Nick?" She asked, to which Fang groaned.

"Don't mention that, Ig."

"Oh, but I will. 'F-Nick' is what Gazzy and I call Nicky here when we're around Lissa, other teachers, and the principal of our school! Well… We either call him that or Nicky. He hates both of them, so it has the same effect." Iggy grinned over at Fang, who glared back.

"I see, Iggy. Who's Lissa?" Max asked, turning to Fang with a confused look.

Iggy made a strange 'Ooh' noise. "You mean you haven't told her yet? You definitely should, Nicky." If anything, Fang hated how Iggy made the little things sound so huge.

Fang stayed silent for a few seconds. "I went on a date with her."

Max barked a quick laugh and pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her head on Fang's shoulder again. "So? I dated… Dylan… for five years. It doesn't matter if Fang dated some girl." Max closed her eyes and Fang sent Iggy a 'so _there_' look.

"J'ai entendu que Miley Cyrus est tombée de l'avion!" Iggy said, grinning over at Fang and Max.

"Why did you just say, 'I heard Miley Cyrus fell out of the airplane,' in French?" Max asked sleepily.

"Parce que la pizza a rompu avec la glace, bien sûr!" Iggy responded quickly with yet another bright smile. Fang wondered if he ever got tired of smiling.

"Because the pizza broke up with the mirror, ice cream, glass, or ice?"

"Ice cream, oh smart one."

Max shook her head. "That makes _no_ sense."

Fang laughed and looked over at his friend. "When did you learn French?"

"A student taught me to say that. It took me fifteen minutes to learn the one about Miley Cyrus, and another ten for the one about the pizza and ice cream."

"It was very random," Max said, sitting up and rubbing her eyes sleepily. "I think you two should go to bed. I'm sleepy."

Iggy raised his eyebrows. "Are we sharing a bed, F-Nick?"

"Only _you_ could make it sound so dirty. No. I'm taking the floor," Fang said, moving Max off him carefully and standing, heading to Fang's room.

As they got ready to go to sleep, they listened to Iggy's iPod, which happened to pick "Gibberish" by Relient K as their song for the night.

_Arg wu sentafinticate nar dunderford  
Bida menti kosticated interserd  
Thorphilliate stinded yilla billa zay  
Wentora yate paravillintiniay, paravillintiniay._

_Dorga orpha dorga billa  
Dorga orpha stifoleare  
Dorga orpha dorga billa  
Tonalation fonamere._

_Stop talking gibberish  
Or just stop talking now.  
If I had one wish,  
Well, I don't know what I'd wish for.  
But if I had a million, zillion wishes  
I'd use one to let you know that gibberish is  
Not a nice way to talk to all your…_

_Mork swax ippen reeby yuftabar  
Higged quillip ernigrade du wellinshar  
Lirp crawn xyfa gourk jawinstabray  
Venaldo urp paravillintiniay, paravillintiniay._

_Stop talking gibberish  
Or just stop talking now.  
If I had one wish,  
Well, I don't know what I'd wish for.  
But if I had a million, zillion wishes  
I'd use one to let you know that gibberish is  
Not a nice way to talk to all your friends.

* * *

_

…**Hi again. I'm sorry about the filler-ness of this chapter and the month it took me to write. It appears as if none of you really care, because I got no 'POST OR I'LL KILL YOU' threats… I guess that's good. **(?)

Want to read something that has a death of yours truly in it? Go check out _Here and There_ by Aquapolartop.

**REVIEW.**

Want a shout out? Tell me what movie I'm going to see on Tuesday that came out today (Friday, November the 19th, 2010) of which the (abbreviated) title is the following: HPATDH: PO :D I'm very excited seeing as I'm a very big fan of the boy who lived :D

I just reposted with some edits... don't worry.


	9. Chapter 8

**Shout outs for **Cadisha Ora Rhaksha Caden**, **Chocogirl24**,** Ally**, **CrazyNerdyFangirl**, **Aquapolartop**,** Georgia Brenteney Evans**,** **and** Scarlet Natalia! _JUST SAW HARRY POTTER. OH MY GOODNESS IT WAS AMAZING._

**OH MY GOODNESS I FORGOT.**** Rai-chan! was the driver of the semi truck that hit Dylan. She needs to be arrested for reckless driving. I mean, she doesn't even have her permit yet. She definitely shouldn't be driving a semi. Especially not in the rain. Or at night. And God forbid she drive it on the interstate. Gosh, Rai-chan. So reckless.**

**I don't own Maximum Ride.**

My story is rated T for Teen. Not T for Totally Awesome, Taratantara, or Tenebrous. Please only read my story if you're 13 or older :) (Ai-chan is helping me, so who _knows_ what kind of sexual innuendos will be in this thing? *points randomly* There's one right there!)

* * *

_Max_

She was woken the next morning by a sudden weight on her upper legs and lower stomach. Max's eyes snapped open as the breath left her in a whoosh. "What the hell, Iggy? Get off me!" She sat up and straightened her hair (it was _everywhere_) as soon as he got up.

Iggy skipped happily to the kitchen. "She's up, Nicky!" He exclaimed. "Do you want me to get Dr. M up, too?"

Max groaned and plodded into the kitchen, resting her forehead between Fang's shoulder blades. "Please don't, Iggy. She _really_ doesn't like you." Max wrapped her arms around Fang's stomach as he did whatever it was he was doing and Iggy made a strange 'tsk, tsk' sound.

"No PDA, you two. You know better than that," he said, pulling Max away from Fang and shaking his head. "Now. Who's going to wake Dr. M up?"

Fang turned around and Max could tell that his eyes were half closed; he was trying to catch up on sleep. "Max." He went to the table and sat down, putting his head down. Max left the kitchen, but she could hear Iggy pestering Fang, who was surely asleep again.

She snuck into the guest/her room and flipped the light on, going to the bed and shaking her mom's sleeping figure. "Wake up, Mom. We've got a lot planned for today, so you need to get up." Max's mom sat up and looked around, then found Max and nodded.

"I'll be out in a few minutes, sweetie. How should I dress for today?"

"We'll be doing a lot of walking, so wear jeans, if you brought some, and a long sleeved shirt; it can get chilly," Max said, smiling falsely and walking to the door. "I think Iggy's making us breakfast—"

"I think I'll skip, then," Dr. Martinez said quickly, not bothering to hide her disgust.

Max smiled faintly. "Nick says that he's a really good cook, and I trust Nick, okay Mom? Please try to be nice; they _are_ my friends, after all. I'll see you in a few minutes." Max left her mom's room and went back to the kitchen, only to find Iggy sitting _in_ Fang's lap. She just shook her head. "I don't wanna know."

"He wouldn't stay awake, so I'm sitting here and threatening to yell that he loves you every time he closes his eyes," Iggy stated proudly.

Fang groaned a shoved Iggy from his lap into the floor. "Just go make breakfast. Max will keep me awake."

Iggy raised his eyebrows. "Oh _yeah_, I bet she keeps you up_ all night,_ F-Nick."

Max stood and smacked the back of Iggy's head, just as Max's mom walked in. "Don't _say_ stuff like that, Iggy! And make breakfast!"

Iggy simply smirked and found a carton of eggs in the fridge. "I bet you keep the neighbo—Oh hi, Dr. Martinez! I hope you like scrambled eggs!"

Dr. Martinez shot Max a look and nodded politely, sitting quietly next to Fang at the table. Max sat on Fang's other side, subtly brushing his arm as she sat. "So, Nick, tell me… Are you in a relationship?"

Fang smiled politely at Dr. Martinez, shaking his head. "No, ma'am." He shot a quick glance over at Iggy, who was now making breakfast, but was obviously listening to the conversation. He caught sight of Dr. Martinez's disapproving look, so he quickly added something. "But there's someone I have my eye on." He shot another look at Iggy, hoping he didn't say anything.

"What about you over there, Iggy?" Dr. Martinez asked and Fang almost slapped his hand over her mouth.

"No, ma'am, I'm not in a relationship right now," Iggy replied tightly, standing straighter and not looking over at them. Iggy went through a very difficult break up recently… he didn't like talking about it.

Iggy brought the pan of scrambled eggs over, staying uncharacteristically silent for once and served everyone. "What's on the agenda for today?"

"We're headed to the park for a walk, then Rose Pepper's for lunch, I think. What's after that, Nick?" Max asked, not liking how she had to call him 'Nick' this whole weekend.

"Whatever you would like to do, Dr. Martinez, is fine." There was a disappointed sigh from Iggy, but a kick to the shin from Fang shut him up.

"Maxine, dear, tell me… does this town have any good quilting stores?"

* * *

_Fang_

There must have been something Fang did to deserve this. This was Hell, he was sure of it. He didn't mind hanging out with Iggy on his own; Iggy was cool by himself. It wouldn't have been bad with Max, either. But… Iggy + authority never equals something favorable. The boy has a thing against being told what to do, where to go, and who to talk to. Imagine Thing 1 and Thing 2 from _The Cat in the Hat._ Multiply their defiance by roughly 100. That's Iggy when Max's mom told him (in essence) to shut up and never look at her again.

Fang was pretty sure Max was of the same mind set. Currently, they were walking through the park. Dr. Martinez was in front, Iggy was behind her diagonally (following like a puppy that existed in a love-hate relationship), with Max and Fang walking side by side behind the other two. "Do you hate this as much as I do?" Fang whispered, leaning down to Max's ear.

She laughed quietly and nodded, motioning to her mom and Iggy. "They're hilarious to watch. Is Iggy trying to be difficult?"

Fang chuckled deeply. "Oh yeah, he usually gets like this around exam time with the principal of his school. Students find it hilarious."

"I'm glad I'm not the principal of _his_ school," Max said, eyeing him carefully.

In front of them, Iggy suddenly stopped walking and turned to Fang with a huge grin. "NICK! I totally forgot! I have a present for you!" Dr. Martinez stopped walking and turned around with an amused look. Iggy started digging around in his back pocket and he extracted a short metal chain with a black heart at the end. He tossed it to Fang, who caught it with ease and started to examine it.

"What is it?" Fang asked, giving Iggy a skeptical look.

"It's a friendship necklace, of course, Nick!" Max immediately burst out laughing next to Fang, who just stared at Iggy. Dr. Martinez gave the three younger adults an odd, calculating look. She looked from Iggy to Fang and back, narrowing her eyes, though none of the others noticed. "I have a white one that looks just like it!" Iggy said, pulling the chain out from under his excessively tight v-neck t-shirt.

Max checked her phone awkwardly. "Do you guys wanna stop for lunch now? It's noon." Fang gave her a grateful look for the change of subject.

Dr. Martinez nodded, but still gave Fang and Iggy strange looks. "I'm starting to get hungry."

* * *

"Oh, aren't those roses on the tables _lovely_, Nicky!" Iggy exclaimed quietly, motioning to the roses with loud movements and earning disapproving looks from the hostess, a girl of about 25 with short brown and blonde hair. She led the group to a table away from almost everyone in the restaurant and handed them menus before quickly getting out of there.

"What's good to eat here, Nick?" Dr. Martinez asked in a civil tone before Iggy gave an offended scoff.

"F-Nick! You're not wearing the necklace I gave you!" He exclaimed, earning himself quite a few odd looks from surrounding people eating lunch.

Fang tried to keep a straight face. "Their, uh… their taco salad is very good," Fang managed to say while kicking Iggy under the table to shut him up.

"Nick, that hurt! Stop kicking me!" Iggy yelled defensively.

Max, who'd stayed silent throughout this whole exchange, was starting to get _very_ annoyed with Iggy. "Iggy?"

"Yes, Maxy?"

"Could you pretty please start acting your age?" Max gave him a patronizing smile, to which he responded with a grin.

"This _is_ acting my age!"

Max sent Iggy one of her famous death glares and he kept up his grin. "You know what I mean, Iggy." Iggy stopped with his childish remarks and Max smiled condescendingly at him. "Much better."

Dr. Martinez had been watching this whole exchange sighed at the quiet. "What did you say was good, Nick?" She asked, obviously trying (and failing) to be polite now. It was obvious to _everyone_ (except Iggy, of course) that she didn't like either of the males, or even her own daughter that much.

"I like the taco salad," Fang said awkwardly, rubbing his temples to rid himself of the headache that he could feel coming. Under the table, Max put her hand on his knee as a way of saying, _I know how you feel._

"So, Max dear, how's work going?" Dr. Martinez asked and Fang tuned out of the girls' conversation, turning his attention to Iggy.

Fang glared at his friend, making him grin widely and examine the menu. "What?" Iggy asked innocently when he still felt Fang's glare.

"I told you not to misbehave earlier."

Iggy looked up and smirked, copying Fang's signature move. "Did you? I must not have heard…"

"Why are you acting like this? I've only seen you like this during exam week," Fang asked, examining his menu but secretly watching Iggy.

"Why not? Doesn't _seem_ to be doing any damage." Iggy motioned to the girls, who were laughing, but only Fang could see that Max's was fake.

This weekend was pure torture. Usually, weekends were for relaxing with Max. Watching TV, maybe grading a test from a Wellness class or something, but they were always the times Fang got alone with Max, but here were two people, tearing them apart this weekend. They'd hardly had more than a few seconds alone since Friday afternoon.

"No damage, huh? Ig, Max and her mom don't _really_ get along," Fang whispered, "so you being annoying is making her mom think that she makes bad friends."

"But that's so biased! I'm not even Max's friend!" Iggy exclaimed quietly, slamming his fists on the table softly. Iggy's pale face became paler. "Oh, Fang… I'm reflecting badly on you, aren't I?" Iggy asked, leaning closer to Fang's face.

Fang nodded. "Just a little."

Iggy gasped believably, drawing the attention of the two girls. "I'm so sorry!" Iggy threw his arms around Fang in a hug and Fang awkwardly hugged him back. "I'll try to be more mature now!" Iggy sat back from Fang and smiled brightly at Max and Dr. Martinez across the table from him. "I'm real sorry for the way I've been acting, Dr. Martinez and Max. Let's start over." Iggy stood and offered them his hand over the table, which they both shook. "It's nice to meet you both, I'm Iggy Collins."

* * *

Now this? This was the Iggy that Fang was used to. All four of them were wandering around downtown Normal, Illinois, looking for a shop that appealed to Dr. Martinez. Iggy and Fang had their arms slung around each other's shoulders; a common site where Iggy and Fang used to teach, but Max and Dr. M seemed to find it a little strange.

"…And I swear that dog is going to pull my arm out of socket one of these days," Fang finished, getting a civilized laugh from Iggy.

"Oh, Nick, you're so funny!"

Max groaned from her place in front of the pair, turning around to walk backwards in front of them. "It really wasn't that funny, Iggy. You don't have to laugh at _everything_ he says."

Fang gave Max a worried look. "Don't walk like that, Max. You'll run in to someone."

Max rolled her eyes and turned around. "Fine. But really, Iggy. Nick isn't _that_ funny."

"Oh, but he is! Remember that one time, Nick, when we pulled that all-nighter and you kept me up _all _ night?"

Fang chuckled and decided to annoy Max just for this once; he didn't seem to notice that Dr. Martinez was watching him _very_ carefully. "Oh _that_ was fun, Iggy…" Fang said in what he imagined to be a seductive voice.

Fang could picture Max rolling her eyes. "Oh, get a room, you two."

"Oh, we have every intention of that, Max," Iggy said, tightening his grip on Fang's shoulders.

There was an awkward silence, broken by a shout by Max's mom. "Let's go here! It looks good!"

It was a quilting/craft store called Joann's. Remember Fang's earlier comment about Hell and how he was in it? He stands corrected. This was it. A store full of cranky old ladies talking about how they stabbed their thumbs when they weren't wearing a thimble. Iggy wrinkled his nose as they walked in. "What's that smell?" Fang would say it smelled vaguely of cinnamon, but the smell nearly knocked him over when they walked in the front doors.

Max laughed when her mom was out of hearing range. "It's the smell of Hades. I hate these places." She picked up a roll of ribbon and sneered. "Mom dragged me into these stores when I was a teenager…" She shook her head. "I always hated it." She put the ribbon back down and wandered the store; it was rather large, so Max's mom was nowhere in sight.

Soon, Max, Iggy, and Fang found themselves in the children's craft section. Max picked up a carton of Play-Doh. "I always wanted some of this…" She looked up to Fang with a big grin. "I almost bought some the other day."** (I have four things of it…)**

Fang chuckled just as Max's phone started ringing. She answered it. "Hello?... Oh, okay! We're coming. See you soon, Mom!" Max said with fake enthusiasm and hung up with a groan. "My mom's ready to go home."

* * *

_Max_

They reached home at about two o'clock, and Dr. M went to the guest room to put the things she bought away. Max went to the living room to find Iggy forcing the friendship necklace onto Fang.

"Just put it on, F-Nick!" Iggy yelled, holding it out to Fang, who simply shook his head. Iggy saw Max standing there, laughing and got an evil glint in his eye. "You there! Max! Distract him!" Iggy pointed to Max and she shrugged as she walked across the room, standing in front of Fang. "Alright, F-Nick, I'm just back here for the TV remote," Iggy said unconvincingly, stepping behind Fang, who was _very_ thick and believed it.

"Max, you're not going to…" Fang said, pleading with her and she shrugged again, grinning at him maliciously.

"I'm bored," she said. She saw Iggy slip the necklace around Fang's neck very quickly and he held up a lighter, motioning for her to keep going. Wait… a lighter? He was totally unaware of the necklace already around his neck. She stepped closer to Fang. "So, did you have fun today?"

Fang blinked carefully, then scratched at his neck. "Stop it, Iggy! What are you doing?" He tried to turn around, but Max grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to look at her.

"Uh… I thought I should tell you that… I… uh… I like that shirt on you! Yeah, I really do. It looks good on you. Really good," Max said awkwardly, touching his chest.

Fang gave her a suspicious look. "I have twenty other shirts just like this one, Max… Iggy? Seriously, man, what _are_ you doing? The back of my neck is getting all hot."

Max could see Iggy shrug. "It's because you think Max is hot, just keep talking to her."

At that point, Dr. Martinez walked back into the main room and raised an eyebrow, giving the three _the_ look. "What is going on in here?" She asked in her mom voice.

"Oh, um, nothing, Mom," Max said, stepping back from Fang and letting go of his shoulders.

Iggy stepped back from Fang and slipped a bright green rectangle that looked suspiciously like the lighter he'd shown Max back into his pocket. "I'm done!" He yelled, and then was quick to leave the room. Fang looked down at his chest, only to see the necklace hanging there over the top of his black shirt.

"Iggy!" He exclaimed, earning himself a disapproving look from Dr. M. Fang started messing with the clasp at the back of his neck and almost screamed in frustration. "_It won't come off!"_

Max heard a laugh coming from Fang's room. "That's because I melted the clasps together with my lighter!" Iggy yelled through the door, and then Fang disappeared into his room. Max tried to block out the shouts and bangs coming from the room as she sat on the couch with her mom.

"I'm sorry about them, Mom. I had no clue Iggy was so… immature." Max rested her head back and sighed, stretching.

Next to her, Dr. M shifted awkwardly. "Are they… _You know_," she said, giving the hallway leading to Fang's room a weird look.

Max sat straight, giving her mom a confused look. "Um, no I don't." Dr. Martinez didn't respond, so Max went on. "Just spit it out, Mom."

"They're… gay, right?"

Max went dead silent for a minute, then a slow smile spread across her face. "No," she said, trying not to laugh. "Trust me, Mom. F- I mean Nick and Iggy are _not_ gay. They're both perfectly straight."

Max's mom nodded in approval. "I'm glad, because I would _not_ have put up with you living with a gay man."

Max froze and listened to the fighting going on in the other room. "Why? If anything, it would've made living here much more comfortable for me," she said after a few minutes of silence.

"Well, what they are is wrong, Max. You know that."

"Mom, they're peop—"

"Max, listen to me. I don't think you should be living here if—"

"What difference would it make if they _were_ gay, Mom?"

"They would make you think differently, honey. They'd be a _very_ bad influence on you. In fact, I don't want you living here at all," she said, nodding along with herself and giving Max the patronizing smile that she hated. "That Nick boy seems like a very bad influence on you. You can come live with your Father and I until we have housing worked out!" She clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh that's perfect!"

"Mom?" Max asked, trying to hold back her anger.

"Yes sweetie?"

"Leave." Max pointed to the door.

"What? Max, dear? I said you'll be living with me, now! Isn't that exciting?"

"Mom, I said leave. I live _here._ I'm an adult. I have my own beliefs and I want you to leave." Max stood and pointed at the door. "Go pack your stuff and get out. You didn't ask me if I wanted you to come over this weekend, and you're not welcome here. This is my apartment, and I'm telling you to leave."

"Maxine—"

"Mom. My name is Max. Now get out before I have Nick drag you to the airport. I'm sure you can get an early ticket or a hotel for the night." Max pointed at the door once again. "I don't want to see you in here when I come back from my shower."

* * *

Max walked into Fang's room after her shower; they were still going at it. She just started laughing at the absurdity of her mother's accusation. Fang stopped punching Iggy in his stomach and looked up at Max with a confused look. She just kept laughing, closing the door and leaning against it and holding her stomach while laughing.

"What's so funny, Max?" Fang asked, coming over and touching her shoulder carefully.

"My mom… she thought…" Max just started laughing again and then opened her eyes, looking from Iggy to Fang, causing her to laugh again.

"And this is when I wish we had a mind reader," Iggy said dryly, pulling Max and Fang back from the door and opening it, looking around the rest of the apartment. "Speaking of your mom, where is she, Max?"

Max just shook her head. "She…" Giggle. "She left."

Fang's head snapped to Max's. "Why?"

"Got…" Giggle, "in a fight."

All three of them walked to the couch and sat down, Fang between his two friends. "What over?"

Max took a few deep breaths. "We got in a fight about gay people." Max just stared at Iggy, then at Fang and started laughing.

Iggy was the first to get it. "You mean she thought we were…?" He asked, covering his mouth and laughing through his nose. Fang just stared, wide-eyed at Max, who nodded.

The next ten minutes were filled with shrieks of laughter.

* * *

_Fang_

"Hey, Fang!" Iggy said, handing him his iPod and headphones, "I have a song I want you to listen to! It's kind of random, but I like it and I think you will, too!" Fang put the headphones in and listened to the song that played. ("I Think Ur A Contra" by Vampire Weekend)

_I had a feeling once  
That you and I  
Could tell each other everything  
For two months.  
But even without hope.  
With truth on our side.  
When you turn away from me  
It's not right._

_I think you're a contra.  
I think you're a contra.  
I think you're a contra.  
I think you're a contra._

_My revolution thoughts.  
Your little isles of desire.  
I wanna trace 'em to the source  
And the wires.  
But it's not useful now.  
Since we both made up our minds.  
You gonna watch out for yourself.  
So we lie._

_I think you're a contra.  
I think that you lie.  
Don't call me a contra  
'Till you've tried._

_You wanted good schools  
And friends with pools.  
You're not a contra.  
You wanted rock and roll  
Complete control.  
Well, I don't know._

_Never pick sides,  
Never choose between two.  
But I just wanted you  
I just wanted you.  
I said, 'Never pick sides,  
Never choose between two.'  
But I just wanted you  
I just wanted you._

_I think you're a contra.  
I think that you lie.  
Don't call me a contra.  
'Till you've tried.

* * *

_

**There ya go. Tell me what you thought… But read this ↓ first.**

Got a creative way for a character to die? Tell me! **(Ani: Kelsey simply wants to know how many sadists read this story. She won't be using your ideas for anything.) **You might get something special if I really like your idea! :D


	10. Chapter 9

**Hi there :)**

**I'm DYING of esophagus lacerations. It's terrible. Ask the chicken bone that I swallowed the other day at dinner if you have any questions. **(The voices in Kelsey's head want to assure you that the previous statement is NOT true. Repeat, NOT true.)

**Also… I shot a cactus and it fell over onto me, killing me. My brother played video games until he starved and was 'electrofied' when his wet leg hit his Wii as he played Zelda. My mom accidentally smothered herself as she slept. My aunts were trampled in a Black Friday stampede. Iggy still can't find his shampoo and his date with Justin is TONIGHT. He's freaking out. Special thanks go to **Call Me Bitter**. ;P**

**HEY LOOK! It's a plot!**

**I don't own Maximum Ride (OR JOEY [this chapter takes place in the future when she has at least one CD out…])!

* * *

**

_Fang_

"Bye, Iggy," Fang said, waving to his friend from inside the front door of his apartment. The necklace _still_ wouldn't come off. It needed to be off by tomorrow or God knows what his students were going to say.

"I'll call you, F-Nick! Nice meeting you, Maxy! Don't do anything that you'll regret while I'm gone! BYE!" Iggy called at the top of his lungs before Fang slammed the door in his face and locked it so he couldn't get back in.

Fang sighed and collapsed on the couch next to Max where she was working on something for her job. "I'm so glad he's gone," Fang said, closing his eyes and enjoying the silence while it lasted; he knew that it was going to be a long day tomorrow. It was the boys' soccer tryout day and he had to stay at school until six o'clock at least.

"Why?" Max asked absently. "I thought he was pretty cool." She groaned as she stared blankly at the screen and typed something.

"He's loud, and that's all I get nowadays." Fang looked at the clock on the screen of Max's laptop. "Ugh. Already 9:30? Are you gonna sleep in your room tonight or with me?"

Max smiled up at him. "I haven't gotten to talk to you _all_ weekend. Where do you think?"

Fang half-grinned back at her. "Will you be done by the time I'm finished with my shower?"

"Would I get to talk to you if I am?" Fang nodded. "Then of course."

* * *

_Max- You know how Max referred to herself as Max Ride in chapter eight? I changed it to Max Martinez. Because that's her name._

_Ring, ring, ring._ Max picked up her phone and answered cheerily. She was in a good mood after being able to talk to Fang last night. "Hello, this is Max Martinez with _The Normal Post_, how can I help you today?"

"Hello, Maxine."

Max almost corrected her father, Jeb, at the use of her full (and birth) name, but held her tongue. "Hi, Dad. What's up?" She was much less formal with her dad, seeing as they were closer than Max and her mom. "If this is about living with you guys, I _really_ like where I'm living and—"

"Don't worry, Max, that's not what I'm calling about. This is about that Dylan boy."

Max still didn't like to hear his name, Dylan's. It was unpleasant. Fang never mentioned him, of course, and her thoughts were never _really_ brought back there unless someone said his name, as Jeb did just now. "What about him?"

"Your mother told me about the man that you're living with, and I have to say, he doesn't sound like the type of person I want you associating with. She also said that he's not in a relationship _and_ that he's what a girl your age would call 'hot'."

Max almost laughed at the way the word sounded coming from her dad's mouth. "So? We're not dating, Dad. He's just my friend."

"But he has the potential to start dating you, Max."

"Excuse me, Dad, but I have a lot of work to do. What does this have to do with Dylan?"

"Well, as I'm sure you know, Dylan's family is _very_ wealthy… and Dylan happens to have a brother that I'd like you to meet. His name's Sam and he lives in Chicago, but he's making the drive down to your place in a few weeks. He's a very charming young man, Max. I'm sure you'll like him _very_ much. Plus, I don't want you dating that Nick boy you're living with."

Max immediately understood what her dad was implying. "Dad, I'm not going to date Dylan's brother just because you and Mom want me to have a rich boyfriend."

"Max, you're going to be thirty in three years. You need to get married soon, honey!"

Max sighed angrily into the phone. "Dad, I'm not going to _marry_ some guy for his money! That's stupid and insane. Now, Dad, I have a lot of work to do today, so if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go. Bye." With that, she hung up.

* * *

_Fang_

Fang really hated his first period, and they knew it. They were one of his only classes of all freshmen and all he wanted to do was punch them in the face.

He'd stayed up late talking to Max last night, so he happened to be exhausted today. He _still_ couldn't get that damn necklace off without choking himself, so he just left it on and hoped against all hope that no one noticed it. Broc was sick, too, so Fang had to hunt down the anti-throw up medicine _and_ clean up all the barf before Max woke up and yelled at his dog. To top it all off, it was raining and Fang was late to school today. He already knew it was going to be a bad day.

This was why he gave all his students a study day.

During the previously mentioned first period, a student named Ethan came up to him. Fang looked up from his computer. "Yes, Ethan?" Fang was _really_ trying to be happy and likable today, but this kid was one of the troublemakers, and now he was laughing at Fang, pointing at something.

"Why… why do you… have a… heart necklace… Mr. Ride?" He said rather loudly, drawing the attention of the whole class.

Fang glared at his students, quieting them as he walked to the front of the room. "Do you guys _really_ want to know why I have a heart necklace?" They all cheered. Fang told them the story of Iggy and how he came over this weekend. A girl in the back raised her hand and Fang called on her.

"Have you tried cutting it off with scissors?"

Fang nodded. "The scissors broke."

A boy in the front spoke up without raising his hand. "We should call this Iggy person and ask him what the necklace is made out of!" The rest of the class agreed, so Fang took out his cell phone and dialed Iggy's phone number, putting it on speaker and motioning that the class be silent.

"Hello?" Iggy asked, sounding a little annoyed.

"Hi, Iggy."

"Fang, why are you calling me during school? I have a class right now." The class started snickering, but Fang shut them up with a look.

"I know. My class was wondering what you made my _lovely_ necklace out of, seeing as I tried to cut it off with _pliers_ and they broke."

Iggy laughed on the other line. "You still can't get it off? I'd think that Max would be able to snap it."

"She tried and almost choked me. The chain is too short, Iggy." At that comment, the class burst out laughing. "Seriously, Ig. What's it made out of?"

"Titanium. It's virtually impossible to break. Now, Fang, I have to go." Iggy hung up and Fang turned to his class.

"Happy?"

* * *

Fang unlocked his door and was greeted by a hug from Max. It was late and he could smell a pizza that she had obviously ordered for the two of them. He half-grinned at her. "What was that for?" He asked, closing the door behind him and slinging his stuff to the floor.

Max kissed his cheek. "My dad called today."

Together, they went to the couch with the pizza after feeding Broc and sat down, both eating a slice of the supreme, meat-lovers, greasy, health abomination called sausage, pepperoni, and bacon pizza. "And what did he say?"

Max didn't respond for a few minutes. "He wants me to date and probably marry this guy named Sam. He's 'coming to visit me' in a few weeks." Max took a bite of pizza as well as a deep breath. "And he's Dylan's brother."

Fang set his food back into the pizza box. "He's what? Did you tell your dad about… us?"

Max sighed and stopped eating as well. "I said he's Dylan's brother and I can't tell my dad about 'us'. 'Us' doesn't _exist_, Fang. We're not dating. Anyway, my dad doesn't like you that much."

Fang smiled mischievously at Max before kissing her temple. "What if you told your dad that we've been secretly dating all along?"

"He'd make us break up. My dad wants me to marry into a rich family; Dylan's family is _very_ rich, and let's face it… you're not quite so rich." Max sighed and leaned onto Fang, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "I don't know to do," she said miserably.

Fang sighed, making her hair cover her face. "We could say I got you pregnant."

Max laughed, like Fang knew she would and shook her head. "I'm a terrible liar." She paused for a minute. "What if we made Sam or whatever think I was a total freak? He'd want nothing to do with me, so he'd leave and go complain to my dad about how weird I was and then I'd never be bothered by marrying who my dad wants me to ever again." She sat away from Fang and looked at him, excited with her idea. "What do you think?"

"That it would be a hell of a lot easier for you if I'd never come here." Max just stared at him, silently telling him to go on. "Dylan would still be alive and you wouldn't have to be thinking about this." It became silent in Fang and Max's apartment.

"Fang?"

He looked to Max, who was giving him an almost angry look. "Yeah?"

"You know that I love you, right?"

Fang nodded.

"And that I'd be miserable without you here, right?"

Another nod from Fang.

"Then why are you saying you shouldn't be here? I'd be _more_ miserable without you."

"Why do you always hang up when I tell you I love you on the phone, then?" Fang had been wondering lately.

"We're not dating… It sounds weird. We should wait until Christma—" Fang cut her off with a kiss directly on her mouth, which quickly turned into a make-out session with both expressing their pent up feelings from the past few months together.

Max ended it when Fang tried to get her shirt off; his was already tossed across the room and it was probably going to be covered in dog hair tomorrow. "Tell me you hated that as much as I loved it and I'll agree to wait until Christmas, Max," Fang whispered, breathing heavily.

"Fang, you know we can't do this," Max said, smiling sadly and sitting back from him. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away when he tried to get closer to her, shaking her head.

"Max," he said, giving her a desperate look. "Max, can't we just try it for a little bit? We were happy when we dated in college and I want us… I want _us_ to be happy again." Fang motioned between the two of them and gave Max another desperate smile, moving closer when she let him.

Max rested her forehead on Fang's. "I—" she sighed. "Fang, I don't know."

"Please? Just for a little bit, and it's not like things would be any different. I mean, we're already _living_ together," Fang said, giving her the look he knew she couldn't resist.

Max pulled back from him, giving him a calculating look. "Give me one good reason why I should date you." She smiled in triumph. "And it _can't_ be that you love me."

Fang smirked back and kissed her cheek. "Sam would back off when he saw me, of course."

Max chuckled and stood. "Come on, Fang. It's late, we should get to bed."

"What?"

"You're going to need all the energy you can get if we're going to plot how to drive Sam away with our together-ness when he gets here," Max said, pulling Fang up and dragging him to his bedroom. "I even have a new CD we can listen to as we go to sleep." Fang grinned and simply followed her, happy to get his way.

The song that played was "Controlled" by Aquapolartop. **(Don't look the song up… there are no professional recordings of this song. Aquapolartop wrote it specifically for this chapter. XD Love you to bits, Joey.)**

_When you try to take control__  
__All you're really doing is hurting us__  
__Whenever you say hello__  
__I know that you mean take a reign__  
__On my life_

_Whenever I say no__  
__You just keep on goin__  
__Whenever I try to say goodbye__  
__You just keep your hold__  
__But I wont be controlled_

_I know you know I'm faking it__  
__I know you see right through me__  
__And when I explain the whole sitch__  
__You just take control__  
__Over me_

_Whenever I say no__  
__You just keep on goin__  
__Whenever I try to say goodbye__  
__You just keep your hold__  
__But I wont be controlled_

_No, I won't be controlled by you again  
No, I won't let you have that power  
Not over my life  
Not this time_

_Whenever I say no__  
__You just keep on goin__  
__Whenever I try to say goodbye__  
__You just keep your hold_

_Whenever I say no__  
__You just keep on goin__  
__Whenever I try to say goodbye__  
__You just keep your hold__  
__But I wont be controlled_

And that was how Max and Fang started dating four months before planned.

* * *

**Whoo! It's done. Man, this chapter SUCKS. I'm sorry it's so short. And I'm sorry it sucks so much.**

**Even though it sucks… wanna tell me what you thought?**


	11. Chapter 10

**Wow… uh, those of you that actually REVIEWED the last chapter really liked it. It was a sucky chapter.**

**Ugh… my keyboard is sticking… :P**

**Random number that might be useful later on! 136**

**I don't own Maximum Ride.**

_Fang- a few days later_

Fang was woken by Max cursing loudly. "Dammit! Get up, Fang! It's noon!"

He sat up sleepily and smirked at his girlfriend as she rushed around the room. "Babe, it's Saturday. What are you talking about?" He fell back on the bed and closed his eyes. "We don't have anywhere to be; go back to sleep."

Fang heard Max stop moving. "What do you mean it's Saturday? I could've sworn it was Friday."

Fang laughed with his eyes closed. "Yeah, yesterday. Now come back to the bed. It's cold without you."

Max sat on the edge of the bed and shook Fang, trying to wake him. "Fang, you know I won't be able to fall back asleep," she said as he pulled her down next to him.

"But I can still make you lie next to me." He kissed her softly and she laughed, scooting back under the covers and moving closer to him.

"You smell good," she said, sighing and resting her head on his arm.

Fang wrinkled his nose after sniffing Max. "I think someone needs to take a shower." He grinned as Max started to get up. "Kidding, Max. What weekend is Sam coming?"

Max groaned. "He's gonna be here all day Saturday of next week." She closed her eyes and sighed. "I really don't wanna deal with him. I met him a few times; he's the biggest flirt on the planet."

Fang kissed her temple. "Don't worry about it. It'll work out. Oh, um, where were you yesterday? I meant to ask you last night, but we got a little… caught up…"

Max hesitated. "I… I ran into Nudge and we were talking for a while… Sorry, I really meant to tell you I was going to be late."

"It's fine, Max. Just call next time?"

Max smiled. "Of course, Fang." It was silent for a few minutes. "I think we should get up now. We could go out today and do something exciting."

Fang smirked and kissed Max's mouth, bracing himself over her. He pulled back. "Or we could stay here and make out all day," he kissed her again and sighed in disappointment when Max pushed him off.

"Fang, come on. We're gonna _do_ something today, not just sit at home and suck face."

"And 'sitting at home, sucking face' isn't doing something?" Fang smirked at his clever response.

Max sat up, grinning down at him. "Just get dressed."

~!~

Fang looked around the music venue in confusion. "Remind me again why we're here?"

Max scoffed. "I already told you, Fang. We're here for a concert that Nudge told me about. It's my _favorite_ band of all time, Fang." She took a hold of his hand and dragged him to the counter where a black-haired girl around twenty years old was standing.

Max nudged Fang, who rolled his eyes, but spoke up. "Hi, I was wondering if you had any more tickets for the concert tonight? My girlfriend and I need some."

The black-haired girl smiled. "Yeah, of course. You want two more tickets for the Relient K concert tonight?"

"Yeah," Fang said, giving the girl a polite smile. He wasn't sure why Max wanted him to ask for tickets, but she was insisting, and Fang didn't want to deal with Max if she was mad at him.

The girl across the counter clicked a few times on the computer. "Alright, that's forty dollars." Fang handed her the money and she handed him two paper tickets. "That concert starts at six PM tonight, so we'll see you then!"

~!~

Next to Fang, Max screamed like a little girl. It was _finally_ time for the Relient K concert and they were _right_ up against the stage. Fang winced as she screamed again. "Max, are you _trying_ to make me go deaf?"

Max turned to him with an offended look on her face. "Fang! Relient K is my _favorite band of all time_ and _we are in the front of the mosh pit_. You better get used to me screaming!"

Fang rolled his eyes as the first act started, a band that neither of them had heard of. They were decent by Fang's measure, but not as good as other bands that Fang liked (e.g. The Fray, Three Days Grace, and Needtobreathe).

The second act was just miserable. Max didn't shout for them once. The lead singer was horribly flat and couldn't sing to save his life. They mentioned something about having a record out and Fang vaguely wondered how the band managed to put a record _out_, they were that bad.

Finally, it was time for Relient K to come out. Fang realized that he knew who Relient K was; he listened to their music occasionally, and he respected them for writing all their own music.

Max screamed at the top of her lungs and jumped up and down as the lead singer (Matt Theissen) walked onto stage, smiling at the crowd. "Hey everybody!" he exclaimed, pulling his guitar over his head. The rest of the band started tuning and Max just stared at him now.

"Why are you staring at him?" Fang whispered to Max, getting pushed closer to her and the stage by the mob of fans behind them.

Max blushed. "I find him kind of attractive," she said, kissing Fang's cheek quickly. "But you're hotter than he is, I promise."

Fang rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Max's waist from his place behind her, earning her jealous glances from the girls around them. "Don't look now, but I think all the girls around you are jealous."

Max laughed. "Why on _earth_ would they be jealous of me? You're nothing special, Fang. Don't get a big head. Just because I decided to date you doesn't mean I actually _like_ you, you know," she finished sarcastically, leaning back into him.

Fang pretended to be hurt while the band continued to warm up. "Oh, that _hurt,_ Max." He kissed her temple. "It's great to know that you're just using me, though. Maybe I'll find a way to use you, too."

"All right, everyone, let's get this show started!" And then the band started to play.

A few songs into the concert, _way_ after Fang had lost his voice from yelling so much, Matt Theissen took a drink of water and paused to look out at the crowd. "We've got some couples out in the crowd tonight… right?" A few people, including Max, yelled and raised their hands, which were entwined with another's (Max's with Fang's, obviously). "Yeah, I know about the one in the very front; you two are good singers, by the way." He took another drink of water and Max turned to Fang with a huge smile. "Anyway, I wrote this song a long time ago when I was young and naïve, so I didn't really understand much… But I liked this girl and I wasn't with her, so I wrote a song about it. This is 'Must've Done Something Right', and it goes out to all the couple in the audience tonight." Max, of course, started screaming and singing along, while Fang listened (or tried to).

_We should get jerseys, 'cause we make a good team  
But yours would look better than mine, 'cause you're out of my league.  
And I know that it's so cliché to tell you that every day  
I spend with you is the new best day of my life.  
Everyone watching us just turns away with disgust  
It's jealousy they can see that we've got it going on!_

_And I'm racking my brain for a new, improved way  
To let you know you're more to me  
Than what I know how to say  
You're okay with the way this is going to be  
Cause this is going to be the best thing we've ever seen._

If anyone could make me a better person, you could  
All I gotta say is: "I must've done something good."  
You came along one day and you rearranged my life.  
All I gotta say is: "I must've done something right,  
I must've done something right."

_Maybe I'm just lucky, 'cause it's hard to believe  
Believe that somebody like you'd end up with someone like me.  
And I know that it's so cliché to talk about you this way  
But I'll push all my inhibitions aside  
It's so very obvious to everyone watching us  
That we have got something real good going on!_

_And I'm racking my brain for a new, improved way  
To let you know you're more to me  
Than what I know how to say  
You're okay with the way this is going to be  
Cause this is going to be the best thing we've ever seen._

If anyone could make me a better person, you could  
All I gotta say is: "I must've done something good."  
You came along one day and you rearranged my life  
All I gotta say is: "I must've done something right,  
I must've done something right."

_If anyone could make me a better person, you could  
All I gotta say is: "I must've done something good."  
You came along one day and you rearranged my life  
All I gotta say is: "I must've done something right,  
I must've done something right."_

~!~

_Go read Aquapolartop's new FAX story! It's called Keeping Up!_

"OHMYGOODNESS THAT CONCERT WAS SO AMAZING!" Max yelled for the fiftieth time when they got back to their apartment at roughly midnight.

Fang groaned. "Max," he mumbled, and then winced at the way his voice sounded. "How am I going to talk at school on Monday?" he asked, his voice cracking on almost every word.

Max laughed. "Simple, Fang, you won't!"

**BLAH. That chapter was SHORT. I'm sorry. You'll have to put up with it...**

**Like I said earlier, go read Aquapolartop's new FAXY story called Keeping Up! It's gonna be really awesome :)**

I know you want a shout out… so… tell me how many times (including this and all other author's notes in this chapter) I used the letter 'f' (so that's at least one…)!


	12. Chapter 11

**Hi there! I'm back!**

**First things first! Merry Christmas! :]**

**Sorry, I've been busy with exams and all that school stuff** (I've been cheating on FanFiction… go check out my profile and look for stuffs about Figment if you really wanna know why. While you're there, vote on my poll about Vienna! :]),** but now I'm on break until I don't know when, so… :] **(If you can tell me when I go back to school for spring semester, I'll love you forever… If I don't already.)

**SO… Shout outs? I can't remember… but I know that **Necrophobia **gets one! **(Go read her story called _Pink_. It's really good and I happen to LOVE it.)** Oh… Georgia Brenteney Evans gets a shout out but she doesn't count because I told her that I put the number of letter 'f's in the beginning of the chapter… O.O **(Psst! There were 136.) rave-in-february! Volleyrocker! alsin! (I think that's all of them)

**ANYWAY. I should get started on this chapter… but I don't feel like it. I can't promise that updates will be coming quickly… it's Chreeessssmmmaaaasssss and I have to go to my grandad's in Alabama… Ew. (Read: There's no internet that I can use.) So… depending on what I get for Chreeessssmmmaaaasssss, I might post; I might not. (Read: I want a laptop with internet access.)**

**I don't own Maximum Ride :]** (- I like these smiley faces better. X] I really like that one.)

_Fang_

Max opened the door to reveal Sam standing there, wearing a blue, button down shirt and dark wash jeans. He smiled as Max stepped back to let him into the apartment.

Max smiled politely at him. "Hi, Sam. I'm Max, this is Fang." Fang stepped closer to Max and placed a protective arm around her waist.

Sam kept up his smile and looked between the two, taking in Fang's arm around Max's waist. "So, what are we doing today?"

Fang and Max smiled in unison. "We're going to get sushi."

* * *

"Here, have some sushi, Sam," Max said, smiling sweetly at him. Fang was almost positive that it was made with raw fish, but he didn't dare say anything.

"Thanks, Max," Sam replied, smiling brightly and stabbing the sushi roll with his fork because he was incapable of using chopsticks. Fang chuckled to himself as Sam ate it and made a very strange face. "That tastes… interesting. What's that green stuff?" Sam pointed to the cone/blob of green-ish Play-Doh looking stuff.

Fang gave his best wolf-grin, showing all his teeth in the most endearing, but creepy way possible. "Oh, _that_? It's great. You should definitely try it," he said, nodding and putting the wasabi on Sam's plate.

"You should eat all of it, Sam!" Max exclaimed, high-fiving Fang under the table and entwining their fingers.

"If it's _so_ good, like you two say it is, why don't we split it?"

Max and Fang immediately shook their heads. "Oh no, we couldn't take away from the first time you get to try it," Max said with the tiniest bit of sarcasm. "Besides, it's a bit too… flavorful for me."

Fang nodded. "And the stuff is really bad for you, and I'm a gym teacher, so…" Max squeezed Fang's hand happily under the table.

As Sam shoveled the wasabi into his mouth, Fang pushed over Max's cup of water, saying: "You'll need that" and trying not to laugh as Sam's entire face turned red. He grabbed the cup of water and gulped it down, making Max almost laugh when she realized that it was only going to make the spiciness of wasabi much worse. Fang chuckled as Sam started to tear up.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?" Max asked, feigning care for him.

Sam shook his head, gulping down the rest of it. "That was really, really spicy. Why didn't you guys tell me? I have a low tolerance for spicy foods."

Fang's eyes widened a fraction of an inch. "Really?" he asked with much sarcasm. "It isn't when I eat it…" Max nodded with Fang.

Sam eyed the pair suspiciously, but he appeared to dismiss it. "Can we go now? I'm starting to feel a little sick… maybe from that sushi."

* * *

**A/N: I didn't have my laptop with me when I was in Alabama, so when I was writing this part in my notebook, the pages from here on out were sparkling… EDWARD CULLEN WAS SMASHED IN THE PAGES OF MY NOTEBOOK.**

"Fang, isn't this park _beautiful?_" Max asked, resting her head on his shoulder as the trio wandered through a path in the dense forest of the park.

Fang sighed. "It is." He leaned over and kissed Max quickly, leaving Sam feeling awkward and left out.

"Max… are you and Fang-" but he never got to finish his though because he promptly threw up into the grass next to the path they were on.

Max closed her eyes tight, but Fang could feel her shoulders shaking in silent laughter. "Is he okay?" she whispered to Fang, who shrugged.

"I say we leave him," he said, motioning to the fact that Sam appeared to have passed out.

Max stepped away from him and slapped his arm. "Fang!"

He smiled. "Kidding. Come on, we can take him back to our house."

* * *

When Sam was lying on the couch (he had, in fact, passed out, and he was now breaking out in hives. It was wasn't his day…), Max and Fang sat next to each other on the kitchen counter, waiting for Sam to wake up.

"Hey Fang?" Max said after a little while.

"Yeah?"

"Sam knows we're dating. He was going to ask right before he threw up." Max stared at the clock on the oven.

"So? Plenty of people know we're together. Iggy and Gazzy know. Don't your friends Angel and Nudge know, too?"

"He'll tell my parents." Max's eyes had that faraway look they got when she was daydreaming.

"Well, what's the worst they can do to us now, baby? We're both adults. It's not like they can make us stop dating or something."

Max eyed Fang carefully. "When did you get so wordy?"

Fang chuckled. "When did you start listening?"

"My parents… it's important to me that I please them… Maybe you could meet them again and gain their approval…" Max trailed off as she stared at Fang.

He kissed her temple. "Whatever you want to do." She smiled. "Why do you want to please your parents?"

Max smiled wistfully. "I'll tell you sometime… Not now. Come on, I think Sam's awake."

"You two are dating?" Sam asked when he had a drink of water.

Max nodded.

"Your mom didn't mention anything about that."

Fang glared down at Sam. "She doesn't know."

Sam smiled maliciously, all traces of his previous (kind of clueless) personality gone. "I could tell her… to get back at you two for making me eat that awful sushi, which I had an allergic reaction to, by the way, and that green stuff."

Fang kept up with his best death glare. "Go ahead and tell her. See if I care, or Max."

Sam stood and straightened his clothes. "Fine. I will." With that, he left.

* * *

** _I wanted to say there: _"With that, he made like a tree and left" but that saying only makes sense when it's in the present tense…**

Ever had a moment when you're some situation and a song randomly pops to your head that fits? Well, that's what was happening to Fang right now. It might have something to do with the fact that his life was a giant cliché, or that he recently discovered this new band (House of Heroes) and was listening to their music _all the time_ but… The song he was thinking of was "Somebody Knows" by House of Heores.

"_Somebody knows__  
__The secrets we've been keeping__  
__And the looks that we've been stealing__  
__They're a ticking time bomb__  
__And when it blows__  
__The wreckage and the wasteland__  
__Will be refuge from the quicksand__  
__We've been sinking down in_

_What's the worst they can do to us now, baby?__  
__We're making fiction, turning friends into foes, maybe__  
__We still have something if we let it all out__  
__Let it all out  
__Oh no_

_Somebody knows__  
__They're following the clues and__  
__Tying up the loose ends__  
__That we left at the scene__  
__And when we're exposed__  
__A jury of our peers can__  
__Deliberate the facts and__  
__Hear our last plea_

_I can hear 'em say:__  
__"I want the truth, I want the truth"__  
__I know you know I know__  
__"I want the truth, I want the truth"__  
__I know you know I know__  
__Somebody knows!_

_"I want the truth, I want the truth"__  
__Let me hear you say it one time__  
__"I want the truth, I want the truth"__  
__You know I know you know_

_Somebody knows__  
__Somebody find me out__  
__Somebody turn me in__  
__Somebody bring me down  
Whoa, somebody bring me down."

* * *

_

I have three/four opportunities for shout outs next chapter! You only have to do one to get a shout out! Why so many? I don't know!

1. You can tell me what you wanted/got for Christmas! I'll start by saying I wanted a laptop and got a Kindle… not a bad trade off :D

2. You can take a wild guess as to why I asked you to count the letter 'f's in the last chapter. If you're remotely close (or very creative!), I'll give you a shout out.

3. You can guess why I can't read my Christmas present for Aquapolartop to tell her why she shouldn't eat it. X]

_(4. You can get an extra special IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS SHOUT OUT if you do all three :] (You don't have to get the last two right… but you have to be creative…))_

**There's a new poll on my profile concerning this lovely story and a possible prequel. GO VOTE. RIGHT AFTER YOU REVIEW.**


	13. Chapter 12

**Woot! Snow days baby!**

**Rawr, I've got some shout outs for you guys! :] ALL CAPS SHOUT OUTS FOR: **TAYLORSWIFTTWILIGHTFAN75**, **GEORGIA BRENTENY EVANS**,** FALLENSNOWANGEL5297**,** **(I'm gonna do this one a little differently because the awesome faces in the penname are taken away if I do it in all caps) **o.O2YOURBESTNIGHTMARE3O.o**, (this one would have been all caps either way… O.O)** OSCAR-THE-GROUCH17.

**Regular shout outs for: **Volleyrocker**, (**** House of Heroes is SO FREAKING AMAZING. *coughs*)** Overcome **(special thanks to you for checking out my Figment stuff, too :] I appreciate that),** CrazyNerdyFanGirl**, and** Keeptappin92**.**

**I actually don't have an f key on my keyboard. So I wanted you guys to know how many times I had to press the pressure sensor key.**

**Aquapolartop's Christmas present was in a different language… therefore, I couldn't tell her why she shouldn't eat it…**

**I wanted to say something else… If **I Spiked The Ice Cream **brought you here, then I love you to death. Really ^_^**

!#$%^&*()_(). To Necrophobia: I'm still laughing… *shoots self in foot* I'm such an awful person… especially because I meant to put this note on the previous chapter.

**ANYWAY, I don't own Maximum Ride!**

* * *

_Fang. I'm gonna do all the Sam drama shiz next chapter. -_- I felt like having some funny moments._

_This chapter is dedicated to Aquapolartop's retarded cat. She really does belong on the short bus. -_-_

Fang sighed as he walked into his classroom just before eight, when class started. He and Max had gotten started late this morning.

All his Wellness students looked up from whatever they were doing and quickly looked back down. Not a sub, they didn't care. A few of the students were glancing at his desk and laughing, but Fang dismissed it. That is, he dismissed it until he saw one of his troublemaker students talking on his desk phone.

Fang cleared his throat, looking at the student. "Excuse me?"

The boy looked up at Fang with a mischievous grin, but carefully placed the receiver for the telephone down on Fang's desktop. "You have a phone call, Mr. Ride."

Fang nodded and sent the boy back to his seat, picking up the phone and ignoring the school announcements as they came on. "Hello?" Fang asked warily; he had an idea of who was on the other line.

"Fnick! Hi! I'm sorry about calling you so early and all, but I figured you would be at work earlier than eight o'clock. Were you and Max up late doing bad things last night that made you sleep late?" Iggy practically screamed on the other line. A few of the students with seats near Fang's desk could hear every word and began whispering to their friends.

"Why are you calling me?" Fang asked tersely.

Iggy laughed on the other line. "Don't you watch the news? We're snowed in up here in Vienna! Parts of the roof collapsed at school, so we're out for like, two weeks."

Fang sighed and shook his head at students that were talking loudly; they quickly shut up. It seemed as if everyone wanted to hear Fang's phone conversation. "And what does this have to do with me?"

Iggy laughed. "Well… I was spending a little time at Gazzy's place when the snow hit, and the drifts were so bad that my door was covered. I need a place to stay for two weeks, because Gazzy's already got his fiancée _and _that other teacher Ari living with him. So I've decided that I'm going to stay with you and Maxi for two weeks because you have an extra room! I'm leaving today by car because the airport is shut down, so I should be there by late afternoon, okay? Oh, I have a present for you, too! Bye Fang!" The click on the other line signaled that Iggy had hung up. Fang sat down in his swivel chair, sighing loudly and running his fingers through his dark hair.

Fang looked up when he felt stares on him. Half of his all-freshmen first period class was staring at him, and the other half was trying to suppress their laughs. "What?" he asked them, giving his best death glare.

The students were unfazed. "Who was that?" one asked.

"Yeah, and who's Max? Is he your… boyfriend?" a girl asked warily, looking kind of disappointed.

Did they really hear that entire conversation?

Fang sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Max is my _girl_friend." Fang could hear the sighs of relief from girls across the room. He stood and walked to the front of the room. "Putting that behind us, today we're learning about mental disabilities. Who can tell me what Autism is?"

* * *

When Fang got home (which was before Max for once), Iggy was sitting on his couch with a bundle of towels that was emitting strange 'mewwwrooowwww' sounds. Broc seemed _particularly_ interested in said bundle, but Fang was more interested in interrogating his best friend. "How did you get in here? I locked the door this morning," Fang said, shutting the door behind him carefully and setting down his keys on the kitchen table.

Iggy grinned. "I happen to know that you _always_ keep an extra key on the top of your doorframe, so I used that to get in!" Iggy held up the bundle of blankets. "Here's my present for you! I have to say, it's a bad idea to travel in a car with one of these, but she's such a sweetie, I'm sure you'll just love her to death." Iggy unwrapped the bundle to reveal a cream and brown cat, at which Broc began to wag his tail playfully. Iggy smiled as she hopped out of his lap and sniffed around the apartment, spotting Broc and mewing. "Her name's Holi** (that's pronounced like Holly)**." At the mention of her name, Holi came prancing back into the room, closely followed by Broc, who had never seen a cat before.

Fang tried to smile, but it came out more like a grimace. He really wasn't a cat person. "Max'll be happy about this… She likes cats. Dammit, Max. She doesn't know that you're here," Fang said and found his phone, dialing Max's number quickly.

She answered on the first ring. "Hey there."

"Hey," Fang answered.

"What's up?"

"Iggy's here for two weeks… he brought something for us, too."

Max sounded excited, now. "I can leave early from work if you want."

Fang smiled slightly. "That's fine, Max. Just leave whenever you want. I have to go now… Iggy's present is about to go in our room…"

Max laughed and hung up after a quietly said 'I love you', and Fang rushed to shut his door before Holi could go in and tear something up with those sharp cat-claws. He sighed as she pawed at his legs, mewing cutely.

"She wants you to pick her up," Iggy said with a laugh underneath his words.

Fang begrudgingly picked up the cat, which mewed happily and purred loudly. He scratched her head, making her stand up in his arms and climb onto his shoulder, where she sat and batted playfully at his hair. Fang leaned forward so she wouldn't fall off his shoulder and walked over to Iggy, who was laughing out loud by now. "What kind of cat is this?" Fang asked tensely, motioning to her as she was now lying across his shoulders.

Iggy managed to stop laughing for a few seconds. "Holi is a dog-cat," he said, then started laughing at the absurdity of Fang's position again. "She's never done that to me, before. She responds if you snap at her, though. See?" Iggy started snapping at Holi, and she was quick to jump off Fang's shoulders and into Iggy's lap.

Fang shook his head. "That's the weirdest cat I've ever seen."

Iggy nodded. "She's pretty dull. Don't let her around plastic bags, or she'll suffocate, okay? Oh, and she has to eat a full bowl of food everyday, no matter what. Make sure your big dog doesn't eat all of it."

"Why are you giving us a cat, again?"

Iggy looked away guiltily. "Well, my landlord kind of found out I had a cat and we're not supposed to have pets with fur or feathers… So I guess I'm lucky he didn't see the other one, right?"

Fang shook his head. "I don't know what to do with you…"

Iggy grinned. "Oh, I forgot. I don't have any clothes, so I'm gonna have to go shopping tomorrow… But I'm still gonna have to borrow some of yours for tomorrow. That's okay, right?"

Fang shrugged. "I guess that's okay," he said, just as Max came through the door to their apartment.

"Hey Fang," she said cheerily. "Hi Iggy! Fang said you had something for us?"

Iggy grinned and motioned to the cat in his lap. "This is Holi, Max."

Max grinned as she rushed over to look at the cat. "She's so cute!"

Fang scoffed. "And a little strange," he commented, right as Holi jumped off Iggy's lap and ran into a wall. She backed away and promptly jumped onto Broc's back.

Broc didn't do a thing.

_I'm totally not joking when I say the cat does all of this… She's so stupid…_

* * *

The next morning, Max and Fang were woken by Iggy at four AM with shouting and the flickering of lights.

"Good morning, love birds!" he shouted, pulling their covers back. "I made breakfast for you guys!"

Fang groggily opened his eyes and glared at Iggy, sitting up. "Ig, what time is it?"

Iggy grinned. "It's four! This is how early I always get up! I want you guys up and dressed in fifteen minutes for breakfast, okay?" Iggy flickered the lights again and then slammed the door, waking Max who had magically slept through all of this.

"Wha?" She asked, rubbing her eyes and sitting up.

Fang groaned and stood, pulling Max up with him. "Iggy wants us ready to eat breakfasts in fifteen minutes…"

Max rested her head on Fang's shoulder. "What time is it?"

Fang sighed and walked to his dresser, pulling out a shirt and a pair of jeans that were acceptable for school. "Four in the morning."

Max groaned. "Why is he waking us up this early?"

Fang shrugged as he pulled his shirt on. "No clue…" Fang walked to the door, ready to face Iggy and his overly-happy-in-the-morning-attitude because he was dressed. "Get dressed, Max. You don't want Iggy to come in here and dress you."

Max paled and Fang chuckled as he left.

"Morning, Fang!" Iggy called when he heard Fang enter the room.

Fang grunted his response and sat down at the kitchen table. Holi came over and jumped up into his lap. Fang sighed and scratched her head, making her purr loudly and jump off the table, right into the leg of the table. She didn't even yowl.

"So, Fnick, I think I'll come to work with you today, and I'll go shopping for some clothes later tonight," Iggy said, coming over and putting a plate down in front of Fang.

Fang sighed. "Can't you stay here? I don't know if my boss will be okay with tha—"

"Oh, don't worry about it, Fang. I already called the principal, and he said it was fine. I'll be your teacher's assistant for the two weeks that I'm here! He even said that I could go sit in on a Chemistry lab!"

Fang ate his food quietly as Max came in and sat at the table next to him. She put her head down, not even looking up when Holi jumped onto the table and started to play with Max's hair.

"What is the point of getting up this early?"

Iggy gave her a plate of food, which she stared at without making a move to eat it. "It's so you won't be late to work, of course!"

Max just put her head back on the table and went back to sleep.

* * *

Fang led Iggy to his classroom. "If you pull _any_thing, Iggy, I'm sending you to the office, and you're going to sit in there for the rest of the day. You got that?"

Iggy nodded enthusiastically. "Doesn't it feel good to get to school on time, Fnick?"

"It's six, Iggy. School doesn't start for two hours. What am I supposed to do?"

Iggy shrugged. "You can… get caught up on grading tests!"

Fang sat at his desk and pointed at a chair in front of his desk. "I'm a gym teacher, I don't _give_ tests."

The next two hours passed in dead silence. Iggy explored the room, picking up books, jackets, and other small things, making a small pile of lost and found items, while Fang surfed the internet.

When Fang's first few students filtered in, Iggy grinned widely at them and took his seat, watching them all carefully. They just sat and looked over at Iggy, whispering among themselves. A few of the girls giggled and Iggy sent winks their way, but a slap from Fang stopped that.

Fang walked to the front of the room once the announcements were off; he pulled Iggy with him. "Guys, this is Iggy, the guy I was on the phone with yesterday. He'll be with us for about two weeks, okay?" The girls giggled and nodded, making Iggy grin back at them.

When fifth period rolled around (it was the class right after lunch), Iggy interrupted the class, which was a study hall.

"Fang, your students look bored. I'm going to serenade them!" Iggy walked to the front of the room and ignored the death glare Fang was sending his way. ("The Bromance Song" by Ryan Conklin. I changed the names… They were originally Chet and Ryan.)

"_The moment I first saw you,__  
__you were wearing tight pants,__  
__I know you__'__d be my go-to-guy,__  
__even at first glance.__  
__BFF__'__s don__'__t mean jack to us,__  
__What else can you do?__  
__When I die, I__'__ll buy a plot,__  
__And I__'__ll save some room for you.__  
__Bromance, bromance,__  
__Fang and Iggy, or Iggy and Fang,__  
__either way it__'__s a bromance.__  
__I love cereal, and pulling pranks with you,__  
__I love geology, and I know you do too__  
__I hope this song tries too hard, and finds you well,__  
__now I swear I__'__ll pack my bags and I__'__ll see you in hell__  
__Bromance, bromance,__  
__Fang and Iggy, or Iggy and Fang,__  
__Either way it__'__s a bromance.__  
__Fang and Iggy, or Iggy and Fang,__  
__Either way it__'__s a bromance."_

It was gonna be a long two weeks.

* * *

**RAWR. It's finished.**

**SNOW DAY MEANS I'M BORED. Thus, this chapter was posted.**

**Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to stop Aquapolartop from getting nitroglycerin and get some chloroform. We're off to Hyrule!**


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: **Please don't cuss (that's really just the s-word and f-word) in reviews you post on my story ^_^ Thanks.

Sorry for the long wait… (it's been 36 days, A.K.A. 5 weeks and one day…) I HAVE AN EXPLANATION I SWEAR. If you really wanna know, you can PM me… (Jade: She was actually too lazy to take the five seconds to post this chapter… it was finished on the 12th)

Hey, **Secretly Vaati**: So it turns out that you WERE in a movie theater when Joey and I had a twitter spamming party to annoy you! MAYBE WE _DO_ STALK YOU! XD and I'm guessing you get our twitter updates on your phone, so know that if I ever have a pointless tweet, it's to bug YOU and ONLY you.

I don't own Maximum Ride.

* * *

_Max_

Max began to wish that the phone wouldn't ring. She didn't want to hear it: the awful sound of her mother screeching at her about 'How could she date that awful Nick boy with the awful friends.' She knew that's what her mom was going to say, and then she'd have to explain how she's her own person now, and she's _not_ going to be controlled by her mother. She left the house nine years ago, and she didn't have to listen to anyone but herself now.

_Ring, ring, ring._ There goes that telephone. Max picked it up and hesitantly answered. "Hello, this is Max Martinez with _The Normal Post_. How can I help you?" Her voice went up about three octaves at the end.

Deep chuckling sounded from the other line and Max glanced at the clock. Eleven thirty, on the dot. "You sound nervous," Fang said and Max smiled widely, wedging the phone between her shoulder and ear so she could work.

"Shut up. Mom could call _any day_, and I really don't want to deal with that." There was a shout in the background of "Fang, put it on speaker phone! I wanna talk to Max, too!" from Iggy, and Max heard Fang sigh in annoyance. "Has he gotten any better over the past two days?" Today was the third day of Iggy's stay with them.

"No. He decided it would be funny to disconnect my keyboard from my computer."

Max couldn't help but giggle, but she stopped herself quickly. She could almost _feel_ the death glare coming at her from the phone. "Okay, um, I think I have to go. My boss is staring at me right now and making typing motions… I think I'm gonna work out of the office tomorrow. Bye."

"Okay, I'll see you at home. Call my cell phone and leave a message if your mom calls, okay? Bye." Fang hung up and Max placed the phone back on its receiver, getting back to her piece about how she met Billy Ray Cyrus on a plane to California.

The phone rang (again) at about five fifteen, and Max looked at the caller ID (for once) before she answered. "Hello?" She didn't bother with her usual answer since she knew what was going to come next.

"Maxine Martinez." She winced at the sound of her full name, even if it wasn't technically her name anymore. "How dare you lie to me, young lady."

"…I didn't lie…"

"There you go again! You need to come back home so your father and I can get some sense into you! Lying to your parents is a _very _bad thing, Maxine."

"I didn't lie, Mom, and my name is _Maximum._ I had it changed when I turned eighteen, remember?"

"You said that you and that Nick boy had nothing going on, and now Dylan's brother, bless his heart, comes to me and says that you're _dating_ him! You better not have lied to me, Maxine."

"Mom, I didn't lie! F…Nick and I weren't dating when you came, but he asked me if I wanted to date him a little while ago, _after you came_, and I said okay," Max tried not to spit her words, but it wasn't working very well. "I really like him, Mom."

"…Oh," Dr. Martinez replied after a few seconds of awkward silence. "But I still don't want you dating that Nick boy."

Max sighed and ran her free hand through her blonde-brown hair. "Mom, he's a really great guy, and I really like him. What if we come down to Texas to visit at Christmas and you revaluate him? Would that be okay?"

There was a motherly sigh from the other line. "I… I suppose that wouldn't be so bad. You'll come at Christmas? That's in what… a month?"

Max relaxed her shoulders and sighed. "Yeah, Mom. Thanks. I, um, I have to go now, so I'll talk to you in a little bit, okay?" Max hung up and left for home.

* * *

_Fang_

"When does Max usually get home?" Iggy asked from the kitchen, where he was cooking dinner for the three.

Fang looked at the clock, right as Max opened the door and stepped in, looking surprisingly happy. She was wearing a bright smile as she set her car keys on the end table for the couch and came over to Fang, giving him a quick kiss and a hug. "She's here, Ig," he said while smirking at Max. "Why are you so happy?" he whispered so Iggy wouldn't hear him.

"My mom said we could visit them during Christmas. That means you can convince them you're 'worthy of dating me'…"

Fang chuckled. "That's great, Max," he said and walked to the couch. "TV? Iggy's making dinner."

"Iggy, you're a girly guy!" Max yelled toward the kitchen as she joined Fang on the couch. She could just imagine him rolling his eyes.

"Keep it PG in there, kids!" Iggy yelled back, looking out from the door to the kitchen.

Fang just rolled his eyes as he put an arm around Max, and she moved closer to him so her head was resting on his shoulder.

There wasn't anything good on TV, so they resorted to talking. Holi had joined the two, taking a break from riding around on Broc's back. She was currently purring while curled up in Max's lap, except her tongue was stuck out just the tiniest bit. The overall effect was cute, but made her seem just a little bit… stupid.

"When do you get off work for Christmas?" Max asked, turning to look up at Fang.

Fang thought for a moment. "Um… the 21st, I think." It was the end of November, so it was going to be a little bit of a wait.

"So we'll head down to Texas on the…23rd, okay?"

"Sounds great."

They fell into a comfortable silence, and Max rested her head on Fang's shoulder, closing her eyes and almost drifting off to sleep when Iggy interrupted with a loud "Dinner's ready!"

* * *

Two weeks later, Iggy was gone, and it was the beginning of December. It was Saturday, and Max and Fang decided it would be a good day to get out and do some shopping/have a date.

"Hey Fang?" Max asked when they were wandering the little mall.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you moved here."

Fang raised his eyebrows at the random comment. _Why's that?_ was his implied answer.

"Because if you hadn't, I'd still be with Dylan… and I'd be miserable, wishing that none of the stuff back in Texas had ever happened."

Fang flashed her a brief smile. "I'm glad I came back."

"The first few weeks without you were awful…" she reminisced, looking down sadly, and making Fang feel awful. "I can't remember not crying."

"Max…"

She looked up at him. "Yeah?"

"I'm really sorry." He slung an arm around her shoulders. "I was pretty screwed up after it, too.

"I know… we've been over this whole thing a lot… It's just that this whole 'Sam and my parents' drama had me thinking about what it was like with us before all of this… It's hard to go back to how we were in college, you know?"

Fang nodded. "You wanna stop and get something to eat?"

The change of subject was noted by Max, but she decided to let it slide. They'd talk about this later. "Sure."

They wandered to a small restaurant and the server was a moody teenager, not really interested in making their afternoon better. They ordered and Max turned back to Fang, intent on carrying on their previous conversation.

"…Fang?" she asked very quietly.

"Yeah?"

"When you left, did you really want to, like you said?"

Fang sighed and rested his elbows on the table, then his head in one of his hands; he studied Max in this way. "Do you really think I'm that big of a jerk?"

Max laughed lightly, but kept a serious expression. "I'm serious. I want to know what was going through your head."

He sighed again. "You know I'm not good with words… Max." He added her name at the end, sort of as an afterthought.

"I know you well enough to know what you mean. Go ahead."

"And if I said I didn't remember?"

"I'd know you were lying, because I know you _that_ well." They both laughed and Max suddenly felt like they were in college again, before any of this had happened.

"Fine. I didn't want to leave."

"I knew _that_, idiot. What were you _thinking_ as you left on the train?"

Fang didn't waste any time answering. "That I loved you."

Max blushed at the bluntness with which he said this. "I…"

"Max, leaving was the last thing I ever wanted to do, okay?"

Max nodded silently as their food was delivered by the moody teenager. "I guess… I guess I just needed to hear it…"

Fang nodded. "I get that."

Suddenly (because, you know, Max and Fang's lives are turning into one big cliché), the speakers in the small restaurant decided that they wanted to work and play a song. Fang recognized it as "Lost in You" by Three Days Grace.

"_I always knew that you'd come back to get me  
and you always knew that it wouldn't be easy  
To go back to the start to see where it all began  
Or end up at the bottom to watch how it all ends._

_You tried to lie and say I was everything  
I remember when I said, "I'm nothing without you."_

_I'm nothing without you._

_Somehow, I found a way to get lost in you  
Let me inside  
Let me get close to you  
Change your mind  
I'll get lost if you want me to  
Somehow, I found a way to get lost in you._

_You always thought that I left myself open  
But you didn't know I was already broken  
I told myself that it wouldn't be so bad  
But pulling away, it took everything I had._

_You tried to lie and say I was everything  
I remember when I said, "I'm nothing without you."_

_I'm nothing without you._

_Somehow, I found a way to get lost in you  
Let me inside  
Let me get close to you  
Change your mind  
I'll get lost if you want me to  
Somehow, I found a way to get lost in you._

_In you_

_The pain I feel_

_The rise and the fall  
I see it all in you.  
Now everyday, I find myself saying  
"I want to get lost in you"  
I'm nothing without you._

_Somehow, I found a way to get lost in you  
Let me inside  
Let me get close to you  
Change your mind  
I'll get lost if you want me to  
Somehow, I found a way to get lost in you."_

Max and Fang had both fallen silent during the song, and their eyes met at the end.

"Do you find it weird how every song we seem to hear correlates to our lives exactly?" Max asked with a confused smile.

Fang looked confused. "Have you been noticing that, too?"

"I'm sure it's just a coincidence." And they ate their meal in peace.

* * *

_Max_

"So, what do you want to do now?" Fang asked as they left the mall, walking to Fang's car in the parking lot.

Max shrugged. There were so many things she wanted to do… But being with Fang seemed like the best thing to do at the moment. "We can just go back home."

"Are you sure?" he asked, opening her car door for her and jogging around the front to the driver's side.

Max nodded when he was back in the car. "I'm sure."

"Are you feeling okay? There's always _something_ you wanna do... and you didn't eat as much at lunch."

Max knew Fang was joking, but she didn't feel like shooting back a sarcastic comment. "…Yeah, I'm fine." She hoped that Fang understood the underlying message of 'drop it' in those words.

He did. "Okay."

When they reached their apartment, Max collapsed on the couch. She smiled slightly as she saw that Holi was sleeping on top of the ages-old box TV across the room.

Fang set all their bags down on the kitchen table and joined Max on the couch. "Are you _sure_ you're feeling alright?" He was being serious, now.

Max nodded. "I'm sure. Just a little tired, you know?"

"We should go to sleep early, then."

Max sat up and rested her head on Fang's shoulder, closing her eyes. "That sounds like a good idea."

Fang checked the clock across the room. "It's seven, do you wanna get a shower and go to sleep?" But she was already asleep.

* * *

**A/N: **OHMYGOSH GUYS. I HAVE A NEW PET UNICORN. BLAME ANY OUT-OF-IT-NESS ON AMY POND OVER HERE. *points to silver, sparkly unicorn*  
Amy Pond: *sparkle sparkle* NEEEEEIIIIGGGGHHH *sparkle sparkle*

I have a new story up, and it needs some love! It's called Street Signs, and it's one of those all human cliché fics… just cause I wanted to write one XD Go check it out!


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: **An imitation of myself right now: OH SHIT IT'S JUNE VIENNA OHSHIT OHSHIT OHSHIT. I NEED TO WRITE I ONLY HAVE LIKE THREE PARAGRAPHS WRITTEN FOR THAT CHAPTER OHSHIT OHSHIT OHSHIT.

So um… sorry. At least I told you I'd be gone…? Haha… Well, I'm out of school now, so I think updates might be coming quicker.

I'm assuming you all remember my pet unicorn, Amy Pond. Evidently she was named after Amy Pond on Doctor Who. Joey/Aquapolartop is obsessed with said show… By the way, Joey/Aquapolartop is the most amazing friend on the face of the Earth and you should all go read her stories right this second. And review them.

Especially Hidden Moves, because we're co-writing that one :D

I don't own Maximum Ride!

* * *

_Fang_

Fang woke on Saturday to an empty bed and a note from Max that read "I went out. Be back in a couple hours. Love, Max." Fang frowned. Max usually at least told him where she was gonna be… but he figured that she had her phone, so he could call.

Fang's cell phone rang right as he got out of bed. Fang groaned. _Why would someone be calling at 7:00 in the morning?_

"Hello?" Fang asked groggily.

"Oh my God, did I wake you up? I'm so sorry. I knew I shouldn't have called you cause you and Max are probably busy and I'm really sorry, you can go back to sleep, I'm so sorry," a female voice said quickly on the other line.

Fang sighed. "No, it's fine… I was just getting up… Who is this?"

"Oh my God, I didn't introduce myself! I'm Nudge, one of Max's friends. I dunno if she ever talks about me or what, but she gave me your phone number in case I _really_ needed something, and I need to talk to Max, but she's not answering her cell phone and I was wondering if you knew where she was… This is Fang, right?"

"Um… yes, this is Fang. All I know is that she went out for a couple hours…"

Nudge sighed on the other line. "But I _really_ need to talk to her…" she whined.

"Is there something you need?"

"Well… I just really need to talk to her."

"Um… I'll tell her to call you when I see her?"

Nudge sighed. "I guess that's okay… Thanks for your help, Fang! Bye!"

Fang heard a click on the other line and sighed, falling back onto his bed. He really should get up. Ugh.

He sat up and heard a disgruntled "meow" come from under the covers. Holi crawled out from under the covers and curled up right in Fang's lap. He sighed and petted her head, immediately regretting the action as she purred and jumped onto his shoulder. With another hopeless sigh, Fang got up out of bed and headed to the kitchen, Holi still sitting contently on his shoulder.

_I wonder where Max is,_ he thought idly. He started a pot of coffee and sat down on the couch. Holi jumped off his shoulder and landed on the couch. She meowed obnoxiously, and Fang avoided petting her again. With a click of the remote, the television flickered on, a light of life filling the room.

Fang flipped through the news channels.

"_Eighteen people were found dead this morning in the—"_Click.

"_A fire in downtown killed seven stud—"_Click.

"_A shooting last night resulted in the death of—"_Click.

Fang turned off the TV and sighed. He stood up and made his way back to the kitchen to check on the coffee.

The doorbell rang and he dragged his feet the whole way to the door. He opened it and was met by two women that looked to be around his and Max's ages.

"Hi! You must be Fang! I called earlier, you know? I decided that I'd just come over and wait for Max to get back here! We've heard so much about you from Max! My name is Nudge – well it's not really Nudge, actually it's Monique, but my friends have been calling me Nudge since I was a little kid because I would always—" The other girl slaps a hand over her mouth.

"I'm Angel, and this is Nudge. We're friends of Max's." She smiled angelically, but Fang found her to be a bit creepy. She had shoulder length hair that had been loosely curled and wore little makeup. The other girl, Nudge, had light caramel skin and straightened dark brown hair that had been pulled back in an elaborate ponytail.

"Um. Hello…" Fang said after a few seconds.

"Could we come in? We're waiting for Max," Angel said sweetly.

Fang blinked and nodded, stepping aside so the girls could come in.

"Not that we aren't enjoying the view, but maybe you should put a shirt on, Fang," Nudge said as she stepped inside. "Do you work out? It certainly looks like it! Oooh is that a cat? I love cats! What's her name? Is she a girl? Do you have a dog? I don't really care for dogs, but they can be really cute. I used to have a fish named Shelly because she would always hide in this shell I put in her tank." She smiled widely. Fang blinked again.

"I'll be right back," he said, and headed to the bedroom to get dressed.

_These are Max's friends? They seem like they would drive her insane what with Angel's creepy disposition and Nudge's motor mouth, _he thought. After throwing on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, Fang returned to the living room.

Nudge grinned. "Hey, Fang! You're a gym teacher, right? That's really cool! How can you stand being around kids all day? Are they difficult to deal with? Who's your favorite? Wow, I'm glad we're bonding so quickly!"

Angel shot him a look that said "Sorry…" and took a seat on the couch. "Do you know when Max will be back?"

"I'm not sure…" Fang replied. "Um… why are you here?"

"Well," Nudge began. Fang regretted asking. "You see, I'm on a break from college, so Angel and I thought it would be cool if we could come visit Max! And when she told us she was living with you, we wanted to meet you, so we invited ourselves over. Do I smell coffee?"

"Alright…" Fang said hesitantly. "You can stay for a while… Do you guys want coffee?"

"Oooh! I want four sugars and three creams, please!" Nudge chimed.

"Black, one sugar," Angel said smiling.

Fang rolled his eyes and retreated to the kitchen where he started making everyone's coffee. He wondered idly if Max would be home soon. The door opened; he sighed and made another coffee for Max as well.

He carefully carried the cups to the living room and glared at Max as she set four Starbucks cups on the table.

"Hey Fang," she said. "Oh…"

Nudge and Angel laughed and Max shot him an "Oops" look. The girls started reminiscing and Fang stared at Max, wondering when he would get an explanation of where she'd run off too. She shot him a nervous look every now and then but generally avoided eye contact.

When it finally came time for the girls to leave, Max closed the door behind them and said, "Well, I'm hungry… Let's go somewhere for dinner."

"Where were you this morning?" he asked.

"I was busy," she snapped. She gave him a _Don't ask_ glare and he decided to let it slide for a while. He would find out eventually. They got in the car and were silent for a while.

"I—" they both began.

"You go first," Fang said.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry." Max sighed. "I just want you to know that I'm really happy we're together again… like we should be. I don't want to do anything to mess that up."

Fang was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry too. I'm glad you're here. This is how we should be." He smiled and reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. Max returned the smile and turned the radio on. ("I Wouldn't Mind" by He Is We)

_Merrily we fall out of line, out of line.  
I'd fall anywhere with you,  
I'm by your side.  
Swinging in the rain,  
Humming melodies.  
We're not going anywhere until we freeze._

_I'm not afraid anymore,  
I'm not afraid._

_Forever is a long time,  
But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side._

_Carefully we're placed for our destiny.  
You came and you took this heart,  
And set it free.  
Every word you write and sing is so warm to me,  
So warm to me.  
I'm torn; I'm torn  
To be right where you are.  
_

_I'm not afraid anymore.  
I'm not afraid.  
_

_Forever is a long time.  
But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side.  
Tell me every day  
I get to wake up to that smile.  
I wouldn't mind it at all.  
I wouldn't mind it at all.  
_

_You so know me.  
Pinch me gently.  
I can hardly breathe.  
_

_Forever is a long, long time.  
But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side.  
Tell me, every day I get to wake up to that smile.  
I wouldn't mind it at all.  
I wouldn't mind it at all._

"I like that song," Max said. Fang laughed and nodded in agreement.

They arrived at a small, family owned café a while later. They took a seat at a small table near the back. There was a small stage near the front of the room. Two stools and a mic were in the center. A man in a black vest and a fedora stepped up to the mic and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight is open mic night. We've got our lineup, and first we have Juliet Ohara singing 'Fast Car' by Tracy Chapman."

He left the stage and a blonde woman took a seat on a stool and strummed her guitar to check the tuning. She played an intro.

_You got a fast car  
I want a ticket to anywhere  
Maybe we make a deal  
Maybe together we can get somewhere  
Anyplace is better  
Starting from zero got nothing to lose  
Maybe we'll make something  
But me myself I got nothing to prove_

"Wow… She's really good," Max said, staring at the girl in awe. "I've never heard this song before…"

"You've never heard this? It's a classic…" Fang said, pleasantly surprised by her reaction. It had always been a favorite of his.

_You got a fast car_  
_I got a plan to get us out of here_  
_been working at the convenience store_  
_Managed to save just a little bit of money_  
_We won't have to drive too far_  
_Just 'cross the border and into the city_  
_You and I can both get jobs_  
_And finally see what it means to be living_

_You see my old man's got a problem_  
_He live with the bottle that's the way it is_  
_He says his body's too old for working_  
_I say his body's too young to look like his_  
_but mama went off and left him_  
_She wanted more from life than he could give_  
_I said somebody's got to take care of him_  
_So I quit school and that's what I did_

_You got a fast car_  
_is it fast enough so we can fly away_  
_We gotta make a decision_  
_We leave tonight or live and die this way_

_So remember when we were driving driving in your car_  
_The speed so fast felt like I was drunk_  
_City lights lay out before us_  
_And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder_  
_I had a feeling that I belonged_  
_I had a feeling I could be someone_  
_be someone_

_be someone_

_You got a fast car_  
_We go cruising to entertain ourselves_  
_You still ain't got a job_  
_And I work in a market as a checkout girl_  
_I know things will get better_  
_You'll find work and I'll get promoted_  
_We'll move out of the shelter_  
_Buy a bigger house and live in the suburbs_

_So remember when we were driving driving in your car_  
_The speed so fast felt like I was drunk_  
_City lights lay out before us_  
_And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder_  
_I had a feeling that I belonged_  
_I had a feeling I could be someone_  
_be someone_

_be someone_

_You got fast car_  
_And I got a job that pays all our bills_  
_You stay out drinking late at the bar_  
_See more of your friends than you do of your kids_  
_I'd always hoped for a better_  
_Thought maybe together you and me would find it_  
_I got no plans I ain't going nowhere_  
_So take your fast car and keep on driving_

_So remember when we were driving driving in your car_  
_The speed so fast felt like I was drunk_  
_City lights lay out before us_  
_And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder_  
_I had a feeling that I belonged_  
_I had a feeling I could be someone_  
_be someone_

_be someone_

_You got a fast car_  
_But is it fast enough so you can fly away_  
_You gotta make a decision_  
_You leave tonight or live and die this way_

"We should come here more often," Max said, smiling.

* * *

**A/N: **I would like to again point out that** HIDDEN MOVES** by **AQUAPOLARTOP** is a cowrite between her and myself, Xx-Twitch-xX, and you should go read and review it.

Guys, there are these obnoxious as hell cicadas around right now and all they do is imitate the sound of a freaking lawn mower ALL THE TIME. THEY NEVER SHUT UP. I WANT TO KILL THEM ALL.

You should all also go to Aquapolartop's page and read some of her stories (like Keeping Up) and tell her how amazing and awesome she is and that Ani-chan loves her very much for doing awesome favors. *nods*

Alright, there are two Psych references in this chapter. If you can tell me what they are, you can get a shout out for that next chapter!

Review! :D


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Yello! Thanks for not getting mad at me for being gone for so long… Well, you were probably mad at me, you just didn't tell me… O.o

Anyway, I have shout outs. My Account Is Disabled (anonymous reviewer) is the only one who got BOTH references… (They were Juliet O'Hara and Nudge's coffee.) Raksha Ora got one of the references.

To My Account Is Disabled: *narrows eyes* Why do you say the last chapter was out of my style? You're freaking me out.

My friend Joey and I were talking just now (Psh. Like a month ago), and she goes "It's a cast without a plot. OHMYGOD ITSMAXIMUMRIDE" I laughed way harder than socially acceptable.

Anyway… I don't own Maximum Ride.

* * *

_Fang_

"So, Max, are you ever gonna tell me where you went the other day?" Fang asked, knowing that Max knew what day he was referring to.

Max looked over at him from her seat next to him on the couch. "I told you to drop it." She narrowed her eyes. _So drop it._

Fang raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry. I'll forget about it." _Yeah, right._ In all honesty, Fang was worried. Max was acting _weird._ She was tired all the time, and her appetite was going down little by little. Max was _always_ hungry, and she was _never_ tired. Maybe she was sick? Fang denied the thought to himself. Max never got sick. It just didn't happen. Yeah, she'd get a cold ever now and then, but it never lasted longer than a few days, and this had been going on for a month.

Maybe she should go to the doctor.

The home telephone rang and brought Fang out of his thoughts. He started to get up. "I'll get it," he said, but Max was up and answering the phone before he could stop her.

"Hello? ... Yes, it is… A little better…" A long pause ensued, and Max sighed, and then ran her free hand through her hair (which was getting longer. Fang loved it.). "Yes, I'm still here. I… I understand… No. That'll be," Max glanced at Fang here, "too much trouble… Yeah, that works… Thank you… Bye." Max hung up the phone and walked back over to Fang on the couch.

"Who was that, babe?" he asked, judging her distracted look carefully.

Max just looked to Fang and kissed him quickly. "I love you," was all she said.

* * *

It was Christmas, and Max and Fang were off to Max's parents' house. Angel and Nudge, who claimed to 'love dogs and cats so much ohmygod', were watching Holi and Broc.

Max was driving, and Fang was watching her carefully. She'd been acting more… normal, lately, but Fang was still worried. Max still wasn't telling him what that call was about; every time he asked about it, she glared at him and changed the subject.

Fang was messing with the radio and had managed to find the only station (apparently in existence) that wasn't playing Christmas music. As they listened, a song came on that Fang thought sounded a little weird, but he liked it anyway. ("The Best I Can" by Eleventyseven)

"_I know something's wrong 'cause you're staring out the window,  
And your one word answers give it all away.  
If you can read my face (you can read my face)  
I'm lost in outer space (lost in outer space)_

_And I'm looking for a clue (looking for a clue)  
To bring me back to you (back to you)_

_Cause we both feel the pain,  
We just say it different ways,  
Hear my heart before you hear my lips,  
Cause I can't win this game,  
If I don't know how to play,  
Don't give up, just try and understand,  
I'm doing the best I can._

_I know it's been hard,  
And you get so frustrated,  
Looking for a reason or a rhyme to how I think,  
I don't know how to help (I don't know how to help)  
So I repeat myself (I repeat myself)  
Hoping that the words (hoping that)  
Will come out different every time (every time)_

_Cause we both feel the pain,  
We just say it different ways,  
Hear my heart before you hear my lips,  
Cause I can't win this game,  
If I don't know how to play,  
Don't give up, just try and understand,  
I'm doing the best I can._

_Love will turn you into things you'd never thought you'd be,  
And love will make you look at things you didn't want to see.  
I know that it feel just like we're drifting out to sea,  
But love is holding on, and all the world is doubting you and me._

_Cause we both feel the pain,  
We just say it different ways,  
Hear my heart before you hear my lips,  
Cause I can't win this game,  
If I don't know how to play,  
Don't give up, just try and understand,  
I'm doing the best I can."_

Fang sighed. "You know, I'm really sick of every song that we hear fitting with our lives perfectly…"

Max glanced over at him. "What? That song didn't fit with us…"

Fang just shook his head and stared out the window.

* * *

When Max and Fang arrived at Max's parent's house, they were greeted at their car by a dark haired girl that Fang thought looked too Hispanic to be Max's sister, but was introduced by Max as "Ella, my younger sister" nonetheless. Fang greeted her with a charming smile.

Fang carried their luggage inside, despite Max's protests of this. He needed her parents to think highly of him. This _needed_ to go well.

"You'll probably be sleeping on the couch or in the guest room," Max said as they walked inside. Ella had already gone inside to tell her parents that Max and Fang were there. "Mom and Dad don't…"

"Trust me?" Fang asked with a small smile.

"Yeah. Um… My room is upstairs. I'll take my stuff up there…" Max grabbed her suitcase and lugged it up the stairs, leaving Fang standing in the middle of a hallway, looking around.

The house looked very well put together; everything matched and Fang couldn't see any dust. Dr. Martinez had obviously taken the time to clean before they came.

Footsteps started coming towards Fang from down the hall and he smiled as Dr. Martinez rounded a corner, wearing a smile that Fang was pretty sure was fake. "Hello, Nick," she said hesitantly. "You'll be sleepin' in the guest room upstairs. It's the first door on the right." She pointed upstairs, and Fang smiled warmly.

"Thank you, Dr. Martinez," he said and started carrying his luggage upstairs. At least they were letting him stay in the guest room and not making him sleep on the couch.

His room was small, but at least it had a bed, right? There were two closets on either side of the same room, with a bookshelf built into the indentation between them. The oversized bed took up most of the room, and Fang wondered how he was going to fit on the bed, because while it was rather wide, it was a bit short for his six foot five inches of height. There were nightstands on either side of the bed, and a window looking out on the backyard was situated in the middle of the farthest wall.

Fang walked farther into the room and set his suitcase down next to the bed, then ran a hand through his hair. This really needed to go well…

"Hey there," Max said from his doorway, interrupting his thoughts.

He turned around to look at her and smiled. "Hey. Your mom's letting me sleep in here… A little better than the couch?" He smiled.

"Yeah, but I don't think you're gonna fit on that bed…" she said with a laugh.

He shrugged. "I'll deal with it. It's better than the couch."

Max took his hand and started to pull him out of the room and downstairs. "Come on, you need to meet my dad." They started downstairs, and passed Ella, who giggled as she looked at Fang, and continued on to what Fang assumed was her room. "I'm pretty sure she likes you," Max whispered to Fang, rolling her eyes. Fang raised an eyebrow in question. "She's too young for you, anyway. This year's her first in college."

"I wouldn't want to go out with her anyway. Not when I have you," Fang whispered back and kissed the shell of Max's ear.

"Come on," she said, pulling him into the kitchen, where her dad (Jeb) was sitting and eating a sandwich. Max cleared her throat, getting her dad's attention. "Dad, this is Nick, my boyfriend," she said, pulling Fang forward by his hand so he was right in front of Jeb.

It seemed as if Jeb was assessing Fang, and it made the air _that_ much more tense. He smiled. "Nice to meet you, Nick," he said, reaching out to shake Fang's hand. And just like that, all the tension in the room was gone.

_Well, that was easier than I thought it'd be,_ Fang thought to himself. "It's nice to meet you, too, Mr. Martinez," Fang said, smiling politely. All this smiling was making his face feel weird. Max elbowed him and mouthed something that looked like 'Batchelder', but Fang couldn't be sure.

Jeb smiled. "Just call me Jeb, son. Are you and Max hungry? You can fix yourself something to eat. We've got stuff for sandwi—"

"Thanks, Dad, but Nick and I ate on the way here," Max said, interrupting her dad and sending Fang a look that said, _I don't know why he's being so nice._

"Well at least sit down," Jeb offered, and Max took the seat next to him, leaving Fang with the seat across from Jeb, who was smiling. "So what do you do for a living, Nick?"

"I'm a teacher. I teach physical education, wellness, personal finance, and I coach soccer." Fang was finished before he remembered that he was supposed to be a co-worker of Max's. Damn.

Jeb's smile became cautious. "And how did you meet Max?" he asked, putting a hand on Max's shoulder.

Max was eyeing him. "I had to do a piece on him for my job," she said, which wasn't entirely false. It _was_ the reason Fang had decided to take the job…

Jeb nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. "You said you coach soccer? Are you any good?"

Max answered before Fang could get a word in. "Yeah! He was invited to play professionally once. Nick's great at soccer…"

Jeb grinned. "Maybe you could visit when it's a bit warmer and help out my neighbor's team, then." He laughed, and the conversation eased into comfortable ground from there.

* * *

That night, as Fang was lying in bed, he heard voices coming from the room below him (which was apparently Jeb and Dr. Martinez's room—the walls in this house were thin). Fang held perfectly still, and he could just barely hear them.

"I don't see why you dislike him so much, Valencia." Jeb.

"I don't want to talk about this, Jeb. Can't we go to sleep?" Dr. Martinez.

"Not until you tell me why you don't like him so much."

"He's a bad influence on Maxine."

"Her name is Max, Valencia, and he seems like a perfectly good influence."

"Just trust me, he's not."

"Why don't you like him? He has a job, he's polite, no piercings or tattoos…"

"Do I have to have a reason?"

"Just give him a chance, Valencia. He's not as bad as you think."

"_Goodnight_, Jeb." Then it was silent in the room below Fang.

Fang guessed that hearing that conversation was both good and bad. It meant that Jeb liked him, at least. He just had to win Dr. Martinez over, now.

* * *

The rest of Max's family showed up for Christmas Eve the next day. Fang was introduced to Max's Aunt Pat, who didn't seem to like Max that much, but she certainly liked Fang; she was all smiles around him. Aunt Pat's husband, Max's Uncle Neil seemed like he was the jokester of the family, but he didn't pay much attention to Max. In fact, it seemed like no one but Max's two second cousins (Bella and Karly, both 8) paid her any attention.

Fang, on the other hand, was getting plenty of attention. People were always coming up to him and asking him who he was here with. But as soon as he said "I'm Max's boyfriend," their faces got a strange look, they smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and went to talk to someone else.

Fang found Max sitting on a couch and watching Bella and Karly chat animatedly. "So why does everyone have a really weird reaction when I say you're my girlfriend?" Fang asked as he sat next to Max.

Max laughed through her nose. "I never got along with anyone in my family… I've always been different."

"They seem to like me, though…"

"That's because all my aunts and girl cousins think you're cute." Max laughed and leaned against his arm. Fang chuckled and looked to Bella and Karly, who were watching the two of them now.

"Max?" Bella asked, coming over with Karly following her.

"Yes, Bella?" Max responded, smiling and leaning her head against Fang's shoulder.

"Is he…" Bella and Karly giggled, "your boyfriend?"

Max grinned and leaned towards them. "Yeah."

Bella leaned forward and whispered something in Max's ear, which Fang could hear clearly. "He's cute."

"I know," Max whispered back, looking at Fang from the corner of her eye. He grinned back, making Max blush. "His name's Nick."

Fang waved and said hi to the girls, making them giggle to themselves and go back to their spots across the room.

"You know," Max whispered to Fang as he stared at nothing in particular, "I think you're growing on my mom.

Fang looked to his side to see Dr. Martinez looking in at the scene, then turning away hurriedly as if she'd been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing, but that wasn't before Fang saw the smile on her face.

* * *

**A/N:** I've been putting this off. I'm sorry…

Bella and Karly are the actual names of my second cousins... Not a _Twilight_ reference. I hate _Twilight._

I'm gonna talk about my co-write story now! It's called **Hidden Moves** and it's by **Aquapolartop**! The story is about what would happen if Max were a super villain, and Fang were a super hero, but they knew each other in real, non-super hero/villain life, too! There's adventure, irony, suspense, and even Fax! Aquapolartop (Joey) and I co-write it (I write a chapter, then Joey writes a chapter. We alternate POVs as well. I write from Max's POV, and she writes from Fang's POV.) We'd really love it if you'd check it out! :D

Review, then check out Hidden Moves!


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N:** To My Account Is Disabled (I'm pissed at you for whatever reason): If you've read all of mine and Joey's writing, you would know that it wasn't a damn _Twilight _reference, because I _hate_ _Twilight_ with all of my heart. Bella and Karly are the actual names of my second cousins… Blame their mothers for the _Twilight-ness_, not me. Also, you're right about the Joey thing. There's no point in denying it. -_- Also, if you've read all of my writing, how come you only review this story? (That's not an invitation to review my other stories.)

Damn stalkers… Let's get on with the chapter!

I don't own Maximum Ride!

* * *

_Fang_

"Ugh, I'm so tired," Max said, leaning her head against the car window as Fang drove.

He glanced over at her quickly, then looked back to the road. "You sure you're feeling okay? We can stop if you want." They were headed back home after their Christmas stay with Max's family. Everything had (thankfully) gone smoothly, and Fang was now on good terms with both of Max's parents. They even asked him to come back whenever he wanted, even if he wasn't with Max. Like that was going to happen.

Max shook her head, maybe a little too quickly. "No, no, I'm fine. Keep driving."

Fang gave her a worried look, but kept driving anyway. She'd been acting weird like this all Christmas at her parents'. She didn't eat much a Christmas dinner, and it even caught the attention of her parents, who asked if she was feeling okay, to which she responded with a harsh "Yes!" then a glare at Fang, her mom, and her dad.

A few minutes later, Max spoke up. "Hey Fang?" She didn't wait for a response. "Is there anything that you've _always_ wanted to do, but never got the chance to?" She sounded thoughtful. Fang wondered if she'd been thinking about this for a long time.

Fang thought for a minute. "Um… You can't laugh, okay?" He glanced at her quickly, then looked back to the road.

Max grinned. "Of course."

"I've always wanted to buy a private island and live there, so I'd never have to deal with problems again. It would be paradise," Fan said, watching Max from the corner of his eye to make sure that she wasn't laughing; she wasn't.

She was grinning, but not laughing. She was _almost_ laughing. "Would I be invited to 'paradise'?" she asked, the teasing grin still in place.

Fang rolled his eyes, but smiled. "It wouldn't be paradise without you." He hoped that was sweet enough...

Max leaned across the glove compartment in between the seats and kissed Fang's cheek. "I'm glad, 'cause if you weren't bringing me along willingly, I'd hide in your luggage."

"good to know." Fang chuckled and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "So what about you?"

"What's something that I've always wanted to do?"

Fang nodded. "Yeah."

Max spent a few minutes thinking. "I don't know… I've done a lot of stuff. Maybe… I've always wanted to learn to rollerblade…" Max stared out the window with a nostalgic expression on her face.

It was lucky that they were on a straightaway with no other cars around, because Fang turned to stare at Max. "You never learned to rollerblade?" He covered his mouth to suppress his laughter, because he knew Max would slap him if she knew he was laughing.

"I grew up in Texas by the beach! I spent all my time swimming, not _learning to skate,_" she said with a strong slap to Fang's upper arm.

He snickered and rubbed his arm (that slap hurt). "I have some skates at home… When we get there, I'm teaching you to skate. We'll go to the park."

Max yawned. "After I catch a nap, right? Being with my family always tires me out…"

Fang smiled, but he was worried. _Why was she so tired all the time?_ "Sure."

* * *

Fang laughed. "No, no, you don't walk in them, Max. You have to…" Fang sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Have you ever been ice skating?"

Max grinned, her face brightening at the prospect. "Can we do that next?"

Fang laughed and rolled his eyes, skating up to Max. "I swear you're worse than the freshmen I teach." Fang's skates didn't fit Max (obviously), so they'd had to go to the store and buy Max her own. (They were bright red.) It was a little cold to be outside skating, but Max _really_ wanted to learn, so they were both bundled up in coats and gloves.

Max gave him another childish grin and grabbed his hands. "Pull me along again. That was fun." Fang rolled his eyes and skated backwards, pulling Max by her hands.

"I'm gonna let go now, and you just keep skating, okay?" Fang said, letting go of Max's hands and moving off to the side.

She started skating cautiously, then turned around, wobbled, and skated back to Fang. She stopped herself using Fang, which wasn't the best idea, seeing as Fang was also wearing skates.

They toppled over into the grass next to the sidewalk they were on, Max straddling Fang. She grinned. "I skated." She kissed him, still smiling. As she pulled away and tried to stand up (it was hard to do in skates), she said, "You know, I wasn't joking about the ice skating."

Fang smirked back. "Let's go, then." Fang grabbed Max's hand and they skated back to his car, where they took off their skates, got in their regular shoes, and drove to the ice skating rink.

The ice skating rink was crowded when they got there, but Fang didn't care, and it didn't look like Max cared either. Fang paid for renting their skates (the girl behind the counter flirted with him, and Max glared at her for five minutes straight), and they sat down to lace them up.

"Is it cold in here?" Max asked, rubbing her gloved hands over her coat arms.

Fang chuckled. "It's an ice rink, Max. Yes, it's cold."

She shrugged and laughed. "Come on, you're gonna teach me to ice skate, now."

Fang was not surprised that Max was awful at ice skating; she'd been terrible at rollerblading. She fell down ten times (at least) and brought Fang down with her most of the time.

As they were packing up to leave, Fang heard a song come on the speakers overhead, and he listened because it wasn't the usual kind of music they played at places like this. ("Always" by Panic! At The Disco)

"_When the world gets too heavy, put it on my back  
I'll be your levy  
You are taking me apart like bad glue on a get well card._

_But it was always you falling for me  
Now there's always time calling for me  
I am the light blinking at the end of the road  
Blink back to let me know._

_I'm a fly that's trapped in a web  
But I'm thinking that my spider's dead  
Oh, lonely, lonely little life  
I could kid myself in thinking that I'm fine._

_But it was always you falling for me  
Now there's always time calling for me  
I am the light blinking at the end of the road  
Blink back to let me know._

_I'm skin and bone  
Just a cane and a rusty throne  
Oh, the castle's under siege  
But the sign outside says, "leave me alone!"_

_But it was always you falling for me  
Now there's always time calling for me  
I am the light blinking at the end of the road  
Blink back to let me know."_

* * *

Fang was pretending to be asleep when he heard the phone conversation that Max had that night.

"I already told you, I don't want to… No, but I li—Yes, him." Fang was pretty sure they were talking about him now. "No… No… Something like that… That's what I'm hoping… Yes, I'm very sure… Bye." Fang heard her phone click shut, then she crawled into bed next to him. "I know you're awake."

Fang sighed and opened his eyes to see Max looking at him with a small smile. "What was that call about?"

Max shook her head. "Nothing for you to worry about." She smiled and kissed him. "Now go to sleep. I'm tired after all that skating." Max laid down, and was out like that, but it wasn't so easy for Fang.

He just _couldn't sleep._ There was something going on with Max, and he didn't know what it was, and she definitely wasn't going to tell him. But how was he going to find out? He couldn't exactly take Max's phone and find out who she's been talking to. She would find out if he did that, and he'd feel guilty anyway.

Max shifted in her sleep and rested her head on his chest, mumbling a "Go to sleep already…" Guess he was wrong about her being asleep.

Fang sighed to himself. He needed to know what was going on...

He pushed the issue from his mind and closed his eyes. He was asleep in no time.

* * *

**A/N: **Well look at all that plot! This chapter was not a filler. *glares*

I finished it in like, seven hours, so please excuse me if it's pure shit. I know it's super short, but I was rushing and I wanna get this out of the way so I can write for other stuff.

I'm probably going to regret this, but I have a tumblr! I am reviewwhore(dot)tumblr(dot)com, and there's also a link on my profile…

Now review!


	18. Chapter 17

Heh… Hello all! 3

I'll cut to the chase. Here's your chapter.

I don't own Maximum Ride.

* * *

_Fang_

Fang sighed as Max relaxed against his chest. Something other than that phone call the other night had been bugging him. "Hey Max?"

"Hm?" She sounded sleepy. Like always, nowadays.

"What do you think about getting married?" He spoke carefully, trying not to strike a nerve with her.

She seemed to stiffen for a split second. "To you?"

Fang snorted. "No, to the dog. Of course to me." He watched her profile carefully for any sign that he was about to be slapped.

"Are you proposing, or are you just talking about it?" She yawned and closed her eyes.

Fang smiled. "Just wondering what you think about it."

"Mmm… Sounds like a good idea… I'm gonna sleep now…"

* * *

Fang knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Max. He was absolutely positive about that. And now he knew that Max thought marriage was a good idea… So did that mean he should propose? Would she be expecting it? Well, in any case, he was going to buy a ring.

Which was why he was standing outside a jewelry store, debating whether or not to go in.

_Screw it_, he finally decided, and walked in. A middle-aged woman wearing a grey pencil skirt and a white blouse walked up to him, smiling widely. "Hello! Can I help you find something today?"

Fang smiled cautiously. "Um… Yeah, I'm looking for an engagement ring…"

* * *

The ring Fang eventually settled on was simple; he knew Max wouldn't want something fancy. He tucked the box in a box in a back corner of the hall closet when he got back home; he wasn't ready to ask her just yet. He needed to plan this out.

The next three or four months passed without anything huge happening. Max was still tired all the time (was it Fang's imagination, or was that getting worse?), she was slowly losing weight, and she seemed to be cold all the time, despite the fact that it was April and starting to warm up outside.

Fang was really worried, but he tried not to show it. He felt like he _needed_ to know what was going on, but it wasn't as if he could go snooping around behind her back to find out what was going on. He couldn't do _anything_ but watch Max and make sure she was still _acting_ like she was okay, at least.

When Fang got home Friday night and Max was sitting at the small table, staring at the door, he knew something was up.

Fang set his stuff down and walked over to her, eyeing her carefully; she looked to be hiding something in her hands. "What's up, Max?" he asked, not sure if he really wanted to know. This couldn't be what was going with her, could it? No…

Max held out the black box that held her engagement ring. She raised an eyebrow. "What's this?"

Fang stared at the box in her hand. He was _not_ prepared for this at all… "It's… um… It's an engagement ring."

Max opened the box, peered inside, and closed it with a loud _clack._ "I got that." She blinked up at him. "Why was it in the back corner of the hall closet?"

Fang chuckled and tried to take it from her; she held it back from him. He sat in a chair across from her. "Why were you looking in the back corner of the hall closet?"

She glared at him. "Whose is it?"

Fang sighed, knowing he'd have to answer her questions or they'd never stop coming. "I bought it."

"When?" She raised an eyebrow.

"A few months ago." Fang was blushing beet red, now. It felt like Max was just asking him these questions to embarrass him.

"Who's it for?"

Fang met her eyes, still blushing. "Do I really have to answer that question, Max?"

Max held his gaze, then looked down at the table. She looked like she was about to cry. "Yes."

Fang sighed and pulled the black box from her now loose grip. He mentally hit himself for how this was going to sound, but… might as well. "Max, um… This isn't really how I wanted to do this, but, um… Marry me?" Fang awkwardly opened the box and tried to meet Max's eyes, but she was staring hard at the ring.

…And those were definitely tears. Shit. What had he done wrong? "…Max?" he spoke up quietly, keeping his tone soft so he wouldn't upset her more than she already was. "Are you okay?"

Max looked up at him, then down at the ring, then back up at him. She looked far from happy; her face was red from crying, and her eyes were panicked. "I… I'm…" She looked like she was about to go on, then stopped herself. She broke eye contact with Fang as she whispered, "I'm sorry."

Fang leaned back from her, his eyes wide with shock. Suddenly, it seemed like he couldn't hear anything at all. "What?"

Max spoke to the table. "I can't… marry you… I—"

Fang cut her off. "What do you mean you _can't_?"

"Fang, let me finish!"

Fang glared over at her, hurt. "Fine."

She stood up and started pacing; Fang assumed she was gathering her thoughts. "I… don't want to hurt you."

"And you're not hurting me by practically stomping on my heart and throwing it away?"

Max glared at him. "If things were any different, I swear I would spend the rest of my life with you in a heartbeat, but they're not different…" Max gave him a hopeful look, which Fang just found broke his heart at this point.

Fang looked at her, then glared at the table. "So you don't love me? Is that how you wish things were different?"

Max sighed, getting annoyed. "No! I love you! I just… I'm sorry. I don't want you to get hurt…" More tears streamed down Max's face, but Fang just could find it in himself to pity her.

"…I don't think I could be hurt more right now." Fang glanced at Max, then went back to glaring at the table.

Max gave him a sad look, then grabbed her coat and walked to the door. "I'll be back by ten."

Ten minutes after Max had left, the radio came on, apparently on a timer. It blasted the chorus to a song that Fang just _knew_ would fit right into his life. (the chorus of "Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet" by Relient K)

"_No I don't hate you  
Don't wanna fight you  
Know I'll always love you  
But right now I just don't like you  
No I don't hate you  
Don't wanna fight you  
Know I'll always love you  
But right now I just don't like you  
Cause you took this too far  
Too far."_

* * *

Fang paced through his small living room. He hadn't seen Max since this evening, and she'd promised that she'd be back by ten. It was midnight.

_Where the hell was she?_

Broc whined and looked up at Fang, who looked back at the dog (Holi was sprawled out on his back) and gave a small smile. He was just worried. That was all.

It was probably nothing. Nothing at all. She probably just got caught up in traffic. _For two hours? Yeah, right, Fang… Call her… ask where she is…_

Fang ignored his conscience and sat on the couch, rubbing his hands over his face. He should just go to sleep. Everything would be all right when he got up. It had to be. Everything was always okay with Max.

Fang was just going into their room when the silence in the apartment was broken by his cell phone ringing from its spot wedged between the couch cushions.

He froze. What if that was Max? What if she was hurt? He realized it was about to go to voicemail, so he dove across the room and tapped 'answer' without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" he managed to get out, even though he was slung over the back half of the couch and about to smother himself with the cushions.

"Fang?" a kind sounding woman answered. Not Max. She did sound a little familiar, but Fang couldn't place where he'd heard the voice.

"Yes. What's going on? Is—is something wrong?"

"It's Angel. Max's friend. I… I'm standing outside your apartment building. Get dressed and meet me down here."

"What? Why?" But she had hung up. Fang figured he had no choice.

* * *

So that cliffhanger is one full of love :D

This chapter is short. You'll get over it. It's shitty. You'll get over that too, seeing as the next chapter is the last one of Vienna ever.

Speaking of the last chapter, I've already written it. I'll be posting when I feel like it/when I remember to.

So sorry I was gone for so long. Life exists, you know. That's the main reason why I was gone for so long… School sucks. (Junior year is the _worst_.)

Anyway, review!


	19. Chapter 18

**I don't own Maximum Ride, The Fray, Hot Chelle Rae, Panic! At The Disco, Eleventyseven, Three Days Grace, Vampire Weekend, Relient K, Needtobreathe, or House of Heroes. **(*whispers* I also don't own Joey and her song writing/singing abilities.)

* * *

Angel wouldn't tell him where they were going. She only said that Max wanted him to come, and that was all.

"Why couldn't she come get me?"

"She's… She just wanted you to come, all right? Now shut up and let me drive!" Angel was to the point of hysterics. Fang… Fang just didn't _understand._

Fang was horrified when they parked in the hospital parking lot. "What's going on, Angel? Angel?" But Angel couldn't answer because she was crying so hard. She just led Fang by the hand to the fifth floor. The ICU. "Angel, why are we at the ICU?"

Angel just shook her head and motioned for Fang to be quiet. The circle of rooms was deathly silent. Fang felt out of place among all the white.

Angel walked to the nurses' station in the middle of the circle of room and whispered a question that Fang couldn't hear. The nurse she was talking to nodded and motioned them to a room.

Angel didn't follow Fang into Max's hospital room.

As soon as Fang entered the room, all capacity for sound left his throat in a strangled sort of sob. He almost couldn't bear to look at her, thin and frail under the bed sheet. The only comforting sound in the room was the beeping of the heart monitor. She was still alive. Thank God, she was still alive.

There was a tube running under her nose. Fang figured that was the feeding tube. Besides that and the IV, no other wires or tubes were attached to Max's body.

He still couldn't get over the original shock of seeing Max laying there. What had happened? There were no bandages. No casts. Nothing. She must be sick.

Fang took a shuddering breath and stepped closer to her bed. Her eyes were closed, showing blue veins spider-webbing across her pale eyelids. Asleep. He took her hands in his and kneeled down next to the bed. He held her hand to his mouth. "I love you," he whispered against her skin. "Did you hear me, Max? I love you. I don't… I don't know what's going on, but I swear that I love you." Fang was hardly ashamed to find tears running down his face.

A throat was cleared behind Fang, and he looked over his shoulder without getting up to see a doctor. Well, he was wearing a white coat. Fang just assumed…

"Mr. Ride?" he said, walking to the other side of the bed.

Fang nodded.

"It's good that you're here. Every time she comes to, she mumbles something about you." The doctor smiled. "My name is Dr. Smith. I've been Max's doctor for the past four months."

Fang gave Max's hand one final squeeze and stood for a moment to pull a chair to her bedside, taking one of her hands again and lacing their fingers together. "Um… I'm afraid," Fang took a moment to prepare himself for whatever news was going to come next, "that I don't… I don't know what's going on."

Angel walked into the room from her spot outside the door where she had apparently been listening, her eyes red from crying. "Fang, Max has leukemia."

* * *

Sleeping in a sitting position wasn't the most comfortable thing on the planet, but Fang made it work. He was usually a heavy sleeper, but not tonight, so when Max coughed quietly and mumbled his name, he was awake in a heartbeat.

"Max? Max, baby, are you awake?" He sat on the edge of her bed and took her hand again, squeezing it lightly. She squeezed his hand back weakly, and he sighed in relief.

"I—" she coughed. "I'm sorry, Fang." Her eyes were still closed, but Fang could see her eyes moving beneath the eyelids.

He kissed her hand. "It's okay. I love you. I love you so much. That fight was stupid. Can we forget it?"

Max's eyes opened for a second, then snapped shut. They opened again and stayed that way a minute later. She smiled when she saw Fang. "No, idiot, I—" she coughed again. "I meant about… this whole… thing. That—" cough "—that I didn't tell you." She coughed the word tell. "I know you—" cough "—forgive me for that fight."

Fang didn't fight back the tears that sprung to his eyes as he saw Max struggle to talk. "Baby, don't… don't try and talk if it's gonna be so hard. I was… I was just worried that… The doctor said that you didn't have much longer… And I wanted to tell you that I loved you. Because when you left… We weren't on the best of terms…"

Max smiled weakly. "I was…" cough "I just," cough, "had to leave because I almost," cough, "told you right when you asked me… I was gonna come back and say yes…" She paused for a moment to catch her breath. "But I passed out and woke up here…"

Fang smiled as best he could and leaned down to kiss her temple softly. "That's okay, babe… Do you…" Fang took a deep breath. "Do you want to wear the ring for… for now?"

Max seemed to light up when he asked; she smiled and squeezed his hand. "I'd love that, Fang."

Fang smiled lightly and reached into his pocket where he was keeping the ring. He held it out and met her eyes. "Give me your other hand…" He reached for her left hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger. He met her eyes and grinned, his tears were falling onto her face, but she didn't seem to care. "I love you."

She smiled in what looked like a painful way. "I love you more," she whispered, then she closed her eyes and slept.

* * *

Max was moved out of intensive care the next day as her condition stabilized, but she wasn't doing well. The doctor said she had a week, maybe less. Fang never asked why she didn't ask for treatment, or why she didn't tell him she was dying. She had her own reasons, and she needed to rest. He didn't want to bother his… fiancée. His fiancée that wasn't going to live to the end of the month.

Fang was sitting in Max's room, at her bedside like he had been the day before when Max's nurse (Amy. She had red hair. Fang would normally have thought her to be pretty, if Max wasn't on her deathbed) came in and said there were people asking to see him in the waiting room. He said to send them in.

Fang was completely surprised when Iggy and Gazzy walked into the room, looking flustered and _very_ worried. Iggy ran up to Fang as soon as he entered the room; he looked as if he had to say something, but he just stayed silent as he saw Max and stared. And stared. All the staring was starting to get uncomfortable.

Iggy raised a hand to cover his mouth. "I—we—Oh my God… _Oh my God._ Are you—Is she—"

Fang watched as Iggy became paler than usual. He didn't know what to look at, so he just stared at the speckled floors. "What are you guys doing here?"

Iggy was incapable of words, so Gazzy spoke up. "We got a call from some girl saying that we needed to be here; that it was urgent. Something about a hospital. We flew in."

Iggy managed to get a word out. "When…"

"She's been here since yesterday. I don't know how long she's had it and known about it."

Iggy turned his eyes to Fang. "Are you… doing okay?"

Gazzy seemed to snort a little, but kept it to himself, choosing to come stand on the other side of Max's bed.

Fang squeezed Max's hand to comfort himself. "Not… not really."

The room was silent except for the beeping of Max's heart monitor, until Iggy made a sound like he was being strangled. "Fang, what's the ring you're wearing?"

Fang _really_ didn't want to cry in front of his friends, but he couldn't help it when Iggy asked about the wedding band he'd bought along with Max's engagement ring. "It's… I… I'm engaged."

Gazzy looked up, intrigued. "Who's the lucky girl?"

Fang sighed and dried his eyes with the heel of his hand. "She's hardly lucky." He looked at Max and a small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth, but was soon replaced as he sighed.

Iggy walked over to Gazzy and slapped the back of his head. "You idiot! Who do you _think_ he was going to be engaged to? His dog?" Iggy paced around the room angrily, rubbing his face with his hand.

Fang watched Iggy without emotion. "Iggy, stop. It's fine."

Iggy spun on his heel to face Fang. "No, it's not _fine_, Fang! Look at her! She's dying!" Iggy yelled, his face turning red.

Fang stared straight at Iggy for a second, then looked down at the floor. "Don't you think I already know that, Iggy?" he mumbled to the floor.

Iggy covered his mouth. "I—Oh my God, Fang, I didn't mean to say that. I'm sorry—"

"Just get out."

* * *

"_Max, sweetie, can you hear me? It's your mother. I… I wanted to say how sorry I was. I was so wrong and stupid, and that boy of yours… He really is something else. He really loves you, Max. You were so lucky to have him. He never leaves your bedside—I think he's been here for the whole week you've been here. He won't even leave to eat. The nurses bring him food; I think it's because he's cute, but he doesn't give them a second glance. Not even your pretty red-headed nurse. I practically had to force him out of the room so I could talk to you alone._

"_Your… your father is pretty upset about this. He doesn't understand why you didn't tell us. To tell you the truth, neither do I. Was it because you didn't want us to worry? Honey, we worry about you anyway. Why didn't you get chemo? We would have paid for it, if you'd just asked._

"_I'm going to miss you, Max. You were always… perfect. Just so perfect._

"_By the way, your ring is beautiful. I talked to Nick about it; the sweet thing said he was going to put it on a necklace and never take it off in his life._

"_Oh, there's your father. Bye Maxie. I love you."_

* * *

"_I can't do this… You were always my little girl, I don't understand…_

"_Why, Max? Why didn't you tell us? It just doesn't make any sense… And now I can't believe that you're going to be gone and I never got to tell you that I loved you one more time._

"_I love you, Max. I love you so much, and I'm going to miss you more than I've ever missed anything or anyone in my life. I wish there were a way to bring people back to life, I'd do it. Even if it meant giving up my own life for you, I'd do it in a heartbeat._

"_And that boy… He was good for you, I can tell. He loves you so much._

"_I'm gonna get Ella for you, now."_

* * *

"_Max… I can't do this!"_

* * *

"_Hey there, um, Max… I never really, uh… met you, but Fang… Man, he talked about you _all_ the time back in Virginia. Told us all these funny stories about you in college. So I kind of feel like I know you, but only the college you, not the you that Fang is in love with right now._

"_Your friend Angel. She's cool. She really cares about you, but she wanted me to tell you that she couldn't be here, and she's so sorry about that. She hopes you'll forgive her. She also wants me to say that 'Nudge' doesn't know about this yet, and she wants you to wish her luck in breaking the news._

"_I… I'm sorry things had to work out this way. Fang's real messed up about it. Iggy and I are going to stay with him for a while and make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid… 'Cause, you know, it doesn't really seem like anyone'd want the person they were gonna marry to do something stupid._

"_Um… Iggy wants to say something before Fang comes in…"_

* * *

"_Max, I… I don't know what to say. I feel like I've been a total jerk. I made things awful with your mom for Fang, and that just screwed everything up for you and him, and I feel like this whole thing is my fault, and I'm _so _sorry for that. You have no idea how much I wish I could go back and do that whole weekend over again._

"_Fang is really upset. All he does is sit next to you and hold your hand. Your mom thinks that's the sweetest thing ever. I'm gonna take care of him, so don't worry. I'm gonna dump all the beer in your apartment down the drain, and buy like, fifteen boxes of tissues. Maybe get some chocolate, but that might just be a girl thing._

"_We've talked about him moving back to Vienna, or either me or Gazzy getting a job out in Illinois and rooming with him so he doesn't try and… I'm not going to finish that sentence._

"_Well, um… Fang's getting impatient. Bye, Max. I… I had a really great time knowing you. And I'm sorry."_

* * *

"_Hey, baby, it's me. I… I, um… I don't know what I'm supposed to say. Iggy's gonna make me a chain for your ring. It'll be like the friendship necklace that he… gave me. He's taking that one off, but I won't take your ring off in my life._

"_I… I'm so glad that you loved me. That we had another chance. You have no clue how happy that makes me._

"_If I say anything more, I think I'm going to start really bawling, and I don't want to do that in front of your parents._

"_So, um… I love you, Max. So much. I'll always remember you._

"_The um… the doctor's coming in, now. He told me that I can do it if I want, but I don't think I could stand the thought. So, um… he's gonna do it. I'm so sorry, baby. I couldn't… I couldn't do anything…"_

* * *

**OHMYGOD YOU GUYS THIS CHAPTER I CAN'T I JUST CAN'T.**

So yeah. There's your last chapter.

I applaud you if you got through it without shedding at least one tear. (I cried while writing it.) I also applaud you if you got through it at all.

So um… If you can't tell, **Vienna is officially over.** **If the ending pissed you off, I don't care.** I told you at the beginning that it wasn't going to be a happy story. It _is_ under the "Tragedy" category for a reason.

If you didn't notice, there is no song on this chapter! That was a spur of the moment thing, but **the song I'd planned to use for this chapter was "Trade Mistakes" by Panic! At The Disco.**

I would like to thank Joey ^-^ Because she's awesome. And she let me use her (very stupid) cat for this story. And she wrote a song for this story. And she ghost wrote for me. And she advertised for me. And she proofread a lot of my chapters. And I just love her to death. (*heart*)

I would also like to thank my neighbor two houses down (he's mowing his lawn right now), as he unknowingly let me borrow his dog for this story. (He has a German Shepard named Broc.)

Leave me a review and tell me what you thought of the chapter/story! I'm not afraid of flames on this, because I think it deserves it... :D

**If you'd like an epilogue, please tell me.**

If you read Street Signs, I have no clue when the next chapter will be up. Sorry... But I'm working on a (couple) new story(s)! :D That's always exciting.

Also, there were Doctor Who references in this chapter. Find them and I'll love you.


	20. Epilogue

Well hey there :) Here's the epilogue. I don't own Maximum Ride!

Oi, there's language in this chapter! (I classify "language" as the f-bomb.) I usually try to avoid language, but it's in character, and you're going to deal with it.

Also, this chapter is very suggestive! ^-^ Deal with that, too. If you don't like it, the exit button is at the top right or left of your screen.

As a note, Fang is supposed to be out of character.

* * *

"Fang, you need to get up." Iggy flicked on the light and walked to Fang's bedside. He saw that Fang's eyes were open, but they had that familiar blank look in them for the last two months since Max's… death.

"I've been up." Fang's voice was flat and emotionless, but he was talking, and _that_ was progress.

"I know. Breakfast is in the kitchen." Iggy kept his voice even to hide his surprise at hearing Fang's voice; he hadn't spoken since last week when he'd burned himself and shouted multiple profanities at the offending cup of coffee.

Fang blinked slowly and sat up as if he were moving through syrup. He grunted at Iggy, who then left the room, but cracked the door enough to be able to hear Fang inside.

Iggy stacked a few pancakes on Fang's plate and set it on the small table, waiting to be joined. Fang entered the kitchen looking disheveled as ever in his long-past-their-washing-time-sweats and no shirt (but he was wearing the necklace with Max's ring on it; Iggy had taken off the friendship one) a few minutes later. His hair hadn't been washed in at least a week, and he smelled _awful._ And to think Iggy thought he'd be at the willing-to-leave-the-house stage two months after.

Iggy stared at his own plate of pancakes as Fang picked at his. "You're going in to work today."

Iggy could feel the stare. "_Fuck_ no I'm not," Fang said around a bite of pancake.

He met Fang's glare with one of his own. "Fang, you've been sending in subs for the past _two months._ The principal called yesterday and threatened to _fire you_ if you didn't show up today." Iggy held the eye contact until Fang broke it by looking at the wall behind his friend. "Besides, it's the last day of school. The least you can do is show up and get your stuff."

"I don't _care_ if I get fired. I'm moving back to Virginia with you, anyway."

"And how is it going to look on your résumé when it says 'fired for poor attendance'?"

The glare lowered on Iggy now could have lit him on fire, he swore. "Fine." Iggy heard a mumbled, "I'll go take a _fucking_ shower…" then Fang got up and walked to the bathroom, where Iggy heard the water turn on.

Iggy never thought Fang would be this bad. When he'd shown up in Vienna (which seemed like a million years ago), he was depressed for a while… but not two months. Iggy guessed he didn't really know what it was like to lose someone that close to you _forever_. As in, you'll never see them again. _Ever._ He'd looked up the stages of grief when Fang wasn't around (and deleted the history after he did it), and Fang was currently in the "anger" stage. He'd been in it for a while. Iggy figured it'd be a while before he saw any development other than getting Fang to talk (even if every other word was the f-word).

Iggy just hoped that Fang didn't cuss out his students today.

* * *

"Iggy, come on. Get up!" Fang shook Iggy's shoulder once again and contemplated rolling him out of the bed.

"Whaaaa…" Iggy mumbled, blinking sleepily, rubbing his eyes, and looking up at Fang, who grinned.

"Mornin'," he said in his distinctively Southern drawl, which had become more pronounced back in Virginia.

Iggy groaned and draped an arm across his eyes. "Fang, it's Sunday."

"Exactly," Fang said, still grinning. "We're goin' to church."

Wincing almost unnoticeably, Iggy sat up. He really hoped this wasn't another one of Fang's 'how-can-I-see-Max-again?' plots. Since they'd moved back to Vienna last month, Fang had already tried a psychic, and several other religions. Now, apparently, they were trying Christianity. "Can't you go on your own? I wanna sleep…" Iggy trailed off as Fang's expression became one of hurt.

"I guess I can…" Fang said, then wandered out of the room, letting Iggy fall back asleep.

The afore mentioned Iggy awoke three and a half hours later to a shout of, "I fucking _hate_ church!" followed by several loud crashes, then a shout from the neighbors of, "I fucking hate _you!_ Shut up!"

Iggy groaned and rolled out of bed. This was how it always went. Fang would find out that something about his new plot wasn't perfect: he couldn't actually _see_ Max, or she'd been reincarnated as a cow, or she was in purgatory. With this case, they'd probably told him that Max was in Hell. Lovely.

The second Iggy left his room, Fang was hugging him and sobbing in a very un-Fang-like manner. Iggy stiffened, not quite knowing what to do because this had only happened once before, and all Iggy had to do was be there, but now…

What should he do?

Thankfully, Fang seemed to catch himself a few minutes later, and collapsed by himself on the couch; Iggy followed gingerly and sat on the arm near Fang's feet. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Iggy spoke quietly, hoping he wouldn't get lashed out at.

Fang spoke into the cushions of the couch. "They told me she went to Hell and that I'd never see her again." Thankfully, his voice stayed even.

Iggy watched Fang carefully, making sure he wasn't sobbing again. "I'm sorry…" He really didn't know what else to say.

Fang rolled over to his back and stared blankly at the ceiling. "I just want to see her again, Ig. Is that so much to ask?" Fang's voice cracked on this, though, and soon he was crying again. "I'd do… anything to see her again…"

* * *

"I'm going out," Fang said later that day. "I'll call if I'm not planning on being back tonight."

Iggy looked up from the book he was reading. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Fang met Iggy's eyes. "I'm good." And he left.

Judging by the looks of the girl Fang brought back at eleven thirty, it had taken exactly two drinks and five minutes of dancing at the local night club to get this girl to come home with him. And judging by Fang's response of "Nah, he won't care," to the girl's question of whether or not his roommate will mind them if they were loud, Iggy did _not_ want to be here tonight.

Iggy dialed Gazzy's phone number quickly as soon as Fang and his girl had disappeared into Fang's room and prayed that he wasn't asleep. "Hello?" a sleepy Gazzy answered.

"Gaz, I'm staying over tonight."

* * *

Over the next few months, Iggy practically lived at Gazzy's house. There were so many girls in and out of Fang and Iggy's shared apartment, Iggy was surprised that Fang hadn't gotten a call from some random girl, saying that he was the father of her child.

If it wasn't obvious, Iggy was worried about Fang. This behavior wasn't good for him at all, but the only talks they'd had about it ended in Fang shouting something about Iggy not being in control of his life, and how he was fine. Every time Iggy mentioned "grief counseling," he was almost slapped.

For this reason, Iggy was surprised when he walked in the front door at ten in the morning on a Saturday to find Fang sitting at the kitchen table by himself, staring into space with his hands wrapped around a cold cup of coffee. His girls were usually here until at least noon…

"What's up…?" Iggy asked, throwing his car keys on the coffee table.

Fang rested his chin in his hand. "Last night… Her name was Maya."

Iggy raised an eyebrow. He knew this one's name? That was an improvement. "Okay…"

"She looked just like Max…" Fang closed his eyes in an attempt to control his emotions. Iggy stayed silent and let him go on. "She… tried to kiss me… and I realized what I'd been doing… I was comparing all these girls to Max, and… Trying to find her in them… But I never could, and I thought if maybe I could find a girl that looked like her…" Fang trailed off and stared down at his coffee.

"So what happened? With… Maya?" Iggy asked, hoping he hadn't hit a nerve.

"I told her to leave, and I've been sitting here since."

Iggy carefully took Fang's cup of coffee from him and poured it down the drain. "You need to sleep. Come on." Iggy pulled Fang up by his elbow and dragged him to his room.

Fang laid down in his bed and stared at the ceiling. "Wait, Ig?" He spoke up just before Iggy was about to leave.

"Yes?"

"Can you set up a… counseling session for me?" Fang closed his eyes.

Iggy smiled to himself. "Yeah, Fang."

* * *

And there we go. :) I hope you liked the epilogue… I was finished with it surprisingly quickly. Like, one night. I mean, proofreading still has to happen, but… Yeah. **Proofreading's done :D lawl, I actually **_**proofread**_** this chapter. I never proofread.**

If you didn't get what was going on with Fang, ask in a review and I'll PM you my explanation.

To those of you who thought Max was pregnant: lawl.

The new Street Signs chapter will be up… I dunno when.

Review! ^-^


End file.
